What Do You Think?
by SportsNightLover
Summary: James' Sirius', Lupin's, and Lily's reactions to PoA. SS and CoA in first two chapters.
1. SS

Title: What Do You Think?

Summary: James', Sirius', Lupin's, and Lily's reactions AFTER they read the Harry Potter books.

Disclaimer: The characters aren't mine, and neither are the parts from the books.

(This is AFTER the book)

_"They don't know we're not allowed to use magic at home. I'm going to have a lot of fun with Dudley this summer_…._"_

"Haha. That's good. Go Harry," Sirius cheered, loving the fact that Harry would be tricking his evil "relatives".

"Yeah, that's my boy…I think," James agreed, still confused about the whole future thing, something that had caused a large argument.

"For the last time James, this boy has no relation to you," Remus said in a way too calm voice.

"But then why did it say in the beginning that his father was James Potter? Get around that one Moony," Sirius defended his friend.

Before Lupin had the chance to answer, James changed the topic. "I still can't believe that I'm going to die, and young, too. But at least I'll be married to Lily."

"You'll be more than just married, mate," Sirius said winking and pointing to Harry's picture on the front cover. This earned him a slap from Lily, who he had forgotten was there.

"Anyway, I still don't know who this Nicholas Flamel person is. Do you babe, I mean Lily?" James asked innocently, trying to cover his smirk.

Ignoring him, and already starting to feel her hand hurting, she answered, "Yes. He did what the book said he did, he invented the Sorceror's Stone, along with a few other notable things."

"What's that?" Sirius asked.

"Well, Black, if you must know, it's a stone that can-."

"Actually we don't really care," James interrupted, hoping to stop her long explanation before it started.

"Yeah, all that matters is that Harry was able to get to it before Voldemort," Remus added, and then mumbled so that they couldn't hear, "And come out in one piece."

Sirius was muttering to himself and they could only catch a few words. "Snivellus…teacher…Potions…totally unfair…."

"I completely agree with you, Padfoot," James said, his eyes narrowing slightly. "How could Dumbledore let that greasy-haired git teach my child? He'd want to kill any kid, but mine, that's just like giving him the possibility to get back at me. I swear Snape," he said, glaring at the book, "If you hurt one hair on his head…"

"Er, Prongs, calm down, mate," Sirius said. James noticed that he was further away than a moment before.

"I am calm."

"Riiiight," Remus said sarcastically.

"I really don't like this Quirrell guy. He tried to hurt our son," Lily said, not listening to the ranting that James had started again.

"Oh no, not you too," Remus said, shaking his head.

"That's easy for you to say, you lead to his defeat," Prongs said, ignoring Lupin's comment.

"Not something I'm proud of, but if it saved our son, then I think I'll be able to sleep alright."

"That's the second time you said 'our son', are you getting used to the idea?" James asked, the smirk planted on his face again.

"Don't get any ideas, Potter."

"I already had them, Evans."

Sirius suddenly turned to Remus, and said in a loud voice, "Hey, am I crazy or they getting closer to each other?"

"You're crazy," Lupin answered simply.

"That's true, but I still think that we may need to leave the room." Sirius didn't even have the chance to defend himself from the book that was thrown at him. "OWWW! WHAT WAS THAT FOR?"

James just shrugged and replied, "I like to put some distance between myself and most books. You're head just got in the way." Surprisingly, Lily giggled at his joke.

All three present marauders quickly snapped their attention towards her and Sirius asked if she had gone crazy.

"No, it was just funny," Lily hastily responded.

"But Prongs said it," Moony said with an incredulous look on his face. "Plus it wasn't really that funny."

"Just because Lily can spot true humor and you can't, doesn't mean she's crazy," James protected his future wife.

"Thank you, James," she said.

"You're welcome, honey."

"Don't call me that."

"Not until you officially accept my numerous offers to date me."

"I never will."

"The book says you will. And I know that you listen to books no matter what they say."

"I might have to bend the rules this time."

"What about next time?"

"There won't be a next time."

"Have you noticed the five other books that it came with?"

"No."

Remus cut in before the argument got out of control, "So, did you notice Hagrid was in the book?"

"Yeah, I think I might have to thank him for helping my child," James responded.

"He's not your child. It logically doesn't make sense. Besides, Hagrid wouldn't know what you're talking about anyway."

"That's true, but I'll find something else to thank him for anyway."

"When are we going to read the next book?" Sirius questioned, changing the subject.

"I want to read about the next year of my son's life right now," James answered.

"He's not your son," Remus repeated, losing the calm in his voice.

"I want to read it, too," Lily agreed. "What's it called?"

"Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets," Sirius read. "Sounds interesting."

"Did Sirius Black just say that a book sounds interesting," Remus asked with a shocked look on his face.

"Yes I did."

"Do you guys know what the Chamber of Secrets is?" Lily asked. Everyone shook their head.

"Does Remus Lupin not know the answer to a question?" Sirius mocked.

"Shut up," Lupin replied.

"Legend has it that the Chamber of Secrets is deep underground in Hogwarts and that a creature lives under there. The myth says that a student was once killed. Although the search found nothing," Lily informed everyone.

"Cool. I want to find it and put it our map," Sirius said.

"What map?" Lily asked.

"Nothing."

"I don't like the idea of my son being around something so dangerous," Prongs said.

"Did James Potter just grow up?" Lily asked adding on to the other marauder's joke.

"I think he did," Sirius helped.

"No, it's impossible," Remus joined in.

"Well, let's just read the book and find out what happens," James suggested, trying to move the conversation away from his mature comment.

"Ok," everyone said, and Remus picked up the book to start reading. "Chapter One…."


	2. CoS

Title: What Do You Think?

Summary and Disclaimer in the first chapter.

I'm sorry this took so long, but I was busy updating my other stories. Thanks to the reviewers.

_ ----------_

_"… You won't tease him, will you?" she asked anxiously._

_"Wouldn't dream of it," said Fred, who was looking like his birthday had come early._

James and Sirius had identical looks on their faces and couldn't stop grinning.

"Of course he won't tease him," James interrupted, eyes sparkling with mischief. "Why would he want to take such an amazing opportunity to completely humiliate his brother?"

_"Definitely not," said George, sniggering._

"No chance they'll do anything," Sirius added, years of fun flashing before him.

"I like the twins," James admitted.

"Of course you would. They're exactly like you," Remus pointed out, covering his face in with his hands. "I can't believe this level of troublemaking is going to continue when you two leave. I would've hoped that it would stop."

"For your information, I happen like them because they have honorable qualities. Although it helps that I have those qualities as well."

"Any quality James Potter has is definitely not an honorable one," Lily countered.

"I have to agree with James, these boys seem like fine young gentlemen who know how to have a good time," Sirius defended.

"Just continue reading, Remus," Lily pleaded.

----------

_"And together they walked back through the gateway to the Muggle world."_

"That's it," Remus informed the group. "The book is over."

"I can't believe my son fought the heir of Slytherin in a chamber nobody thinks exists," James said, awestruck. "How can we top _that_?"

"It's not possible," Sirius answered in awe. "Admit it, your son is better than you at causing trouble and having adventures."

"James got beat by his son," Remus teased.

"Maybe next Harry will pull a prank on Snape better than Prongs," Sirius taunted.

"Harry may be as good at me in the other areas, but he will never beat me in a prank war against Snape. Although I'd like him to do one anyway, even if it is mediocre," James answered.

"I don't think I've ever heard of a basilisk," Sirius commented, losing interest in the previous conversation.

"Neither have I," Remus added.

"Me neither," Lily said. "I may have heard the name, but I never knew what it was."

"I knew," James said. Then he started to jump around and sing "I know something Remus and Lily don't. I know something Remus and Lily don't" several times.

"We know now," Remus said, a little annoyed at the song. "And you couldn't hold a tune if your life depended on it."

"That's not fair."

"Yeah, but it's true," Sirius said, looking like he just told a child they couldn't have candy ever again. "I'm sorry to have to break the news, but you're a terrible singer."

"I appreciate the honesty, Sirius. It means a lot to me," James replied in an equally depressed voice. The two boys dramatically pretended to cry and hug each other like someone had just died.

"Could you two please stop?" Lily asked.

"No use asking, Lily, they can't hear you over their fake crying," Remus informed her. "Just save your breath."

Ignoring his advice, "How did you know what a basilisk was, Potter?"

"I didn't, but I've wanted to sing that song since first year," James replied, smirking. "Want to hear it again?"

"I'd rather die," Remus admitted.

"I can make that happen."

"Let's see you try."

"You don't think I can beat you in a duel, Moony?"

"I don't think you can beat your own son and he's in second year."

"How about Quidditch?"

"You can beat me in quidditch, although you can't beat Harry. Maybe if he's being chased by a rogue bludger, though."

"Yeah, what's with this Dobby character?" Sirius interrupted. "I don't like the sound of him. All he does is get Harry into trouble and then Harry frees him."

"His master was Malfoy, so he deserves some sympathy," Lily countered.

"That's why I don't think Harry should hex him, but to free him is going too far."

"I think Harry did the right thing," James said.

"Of course, side with your son," Sirius said.

"Do you really feel this strongly about him?" Remus asked.

"No, actually I think Harry did the right thing too, but I'm letting you guys prove me wrong. It won't happen again."

"Yeah, maybe not in the next minute," James finished.

"I'm sorry. Did you say something, Prongs?" Sirius asked, pretending to have missed the comment.

"No, Padfoot, I did not."

"That's what I thought."

"Let's just read the next book, shall we?" Remus asked, knowing that the argument could take awhile.

"Yes. I would rather hear about my son's future than Potter's comment," Lily agreed.

"What are you talking about, there was no comment," James corrected, still pretending.

"Just read, Remus."


	3. Lupin's Introduction

Title: What Do You Think?

Summary in the first chapter.

Disclaimer: None of the characters are mine. Also, the italicized words are directly from the book.

Sorry for the long wait, I was… not really doing anything. I have no excuses. So anyway… how have you been?

----------

"_And in the next moment, he was out in the dark, quiet street, heaving his heavy trunk behind him, Hedwig's cage under his arm."_

"Well, that's the end of chapter two," Lily announced, putting down the book.

"Wow! Harry just blew up his aunt! That's an amazing way to get back at someone. Sirius, we've got to try that trick on…" James began, but seeing disapproving looks from Lily and Remus finished, "…nobody. We shouldn't try that on anybody. Sirius, I can't believe you would suggest such a horrible thing."

"What can I say? Ideas just pop into my head and I decide to share them," Sirius replied sarcastically.

"We've noticed," Remus said.

Sensing a possibility of an argument, Lily intervened, "I'm a little concerned for Harry, though. He's done magic while he's still underage and he's already received a warning. Plus, he ran away and doesn't know where to go."

"Well, it was a good thing that he ran away. If he hadn't, he might have blown up the rest of the Dursley's," Remus pointed out.

"Oh, I wish he had stayed. That would have been fun. Also, I don't think they'll punish him for accidental magic," James stated with confidence.

"Alright fine," Lily conceded, "But where's he going to go?"

"Leaky Cauldron?" Sirius suggested. "That's where I would go when I felt I needed some time away from my parents."

"How is he going to get there?"

"Knight Bus, of course," James said as if it were obvious.

"He doesn't know about the Knight Bus."

"Well then he'll have a pretty interesting night, won't he?"

"Yes, and how about we find out about it?" Remus asked trying to get back to the book.

----------

_"Gold lettering over the windshield spelled _The Knight Bus._"_

"Ha," James bragged to Lily. Then, wanting to get back to the story, fell silent, which rarely ever happened.

----------

_"There was a big black thing," said Harry, pointing uncertainly into the gap. "Like a dog… but massive…"_

"Sirius is that you?" James asked.

"Are you calling me massive?" Sirius asked, offended.

"Yeah, I am. And that's not just in your dog form."

Before he replied, Sirius took a look at himself and, reassured, said, "I'm not massive, maybe muscular, but that's completely different."

"Sure you're not, Sirius. Sure you're not."

----------

_"… the shadowy entrance to the Leaky Cauldron."_

"Told you he would go there," Sirius said.

"You got lucky, Black," Lily replied, shocked that both James and Sirius knew the answers that she didn't.

----------

_(After reading the description of the Firebolt in the Quality Quidditch Supplies' store.)_

"I want that broom," James said immediately. "I want it now. I don't care if I have to empty my vault for it. Mine is nothing like that. _150 miles an hour in ten seconds_. I could really use that for quidditch."

"You might actually have to empty your vault…_Price on request_," Remus pointed out.

"I don't care. I want one now."

"You do realize you can't have one, even if you were stupid enough to spend all your gold on it. It's made in the future," Sirius explained.

"We'll just have to build something to bring us to the future long enough to buy one. Sirius, you can test it when it's built."

"Thank you so much for volunteering me to put my life in danger for your obsessions."

"No problem," James said, rereading the description of the Firebolt and imagining he were flying on one, even though he had no idea what it looked like.

----------

_(Mrs. Weasley talking to Fred and George) _

"_I notice they haven't made you prefects."_

"I like Fred and George more and more by the second," James said.

"I can't imagine why," Remus replied sarcastically.

_"What do we want to be prefects for?" said George, looking revolted at the very idea. "It'd take all the fun out of life."_

"My point exactly," Sirius agreed.

_Ginny giggled._

"_You want to set a better example for you sister!" snapped Mrs. Weasley._

"No he doesn't," James corrected.

"_Ginny's got other brothers to set her an example, Mother," said Percy loftily._

"I hope he's talking about someone else," Sirius interrupted.

"_I'm going up to change for dinner…"_

_He disappeared and George heaved a sigh._

"_We tried to shut him in a pyramid," he told Harry. "But Mum spotted us."_

After at least five minutes of laughter by Sirius and James, Lily finally said, "Well, that's not very nice."

"Yeah, but it's the best prank I've ever heard of," James commented.

"But what if they had succeeded?"

"Well they would have gotten him out…eventually."

"They wouldn't have let him stay in there longer than a few days," Sirius agreed. "Now _that_ would be mean."

----------

_(Mr. and Mrs. Weasley talking privately in the Leaky Cauldron)_

"_I don't want to make him miserable, I want to put him on his guard!"_

"Why does Harry need to be on his guard?" James asked, alarmed.

"_You know what Harry and Ron are like, wandering off by themselves- they've ended up in the Forbidden Forest twice!_

"What's his point?" Sirius asked, confused. "We've done that loads of times."

_But Harry mustn't do that this year!_

"Why not?"

_When I think what could have happened to him that night he ran away from home! If the Knight Bus hadn't picked him up, I'm prepared to bet he would have been dead before the Ministry found him."_

"Well, let's hope that doesn't happen," Remus said, shocked at how the conversation was turning out.

"Who's trying to kill my son?" Lily asked, panicking.

"_But he's not dead, he's fine, so what's the point-"_

"_Molly, they say Sirius Black's mad,_

"Wait, why are they talking about me?" Sirius asked.

"I guess because you're in the news for the murders," Remus suggested.

"I'm not denying that I'm worthy of being talked about. That much is sure. But what do I have to do with Harry?"

"How about we stop talking and find out?"

"_But no one's really sure that Black's after Harry-"_

"I'm not after Harry!" Sirius exclaimed, surprised that anybody would think that. "Why would I want Harry?"

"_Black is deranged,_

"That's for sure," Remus agreed.

_Molly, and he wants Harry dead."_

"No I don't! I want him very much alive. Breathing and everything."

"Well, breathing_ is_ pretty important," Remus remarked.

----------

_The stranger was wearing an extremely shabby set of wizard's robes that had been darned in several places. He looked ill and exhausted. Though quite young, his light brown hair was flecked with gray._

"That sounds a lot like Moony," Sirius observed. "Especially after one of his monthly outings."

"What 'monthly outings'?" Lily asked.

"Nothing," Remus replied quickly.

"I wonder who it is," James said.

"_Professor R. J. Lupin."_

"It _is_ Remus," Sirius exclaimed. "Wait, you're a professor?"

"Wouldn't you know if I was sneaking off during classes to go teach a different subject?"

"But then why does it say that you're a professor?"

"I guess I am when Harry is in school."

"But I thought you were the one who told me that this doesn't exist and Harry can't be my son," James said. "Now you think it's real just because your name is mentioned?"

"I could've been wrong," Remus admitted, defeated.

"_Wonder what he teaches?"_

"So do we, Ron." Sirius agreed.

"_Defense Against the Dark Arts."_

"Wow. I can't imagine Moony teaching a bunch of students the ways to defend against the dark arts. I always assumed he would be minister of magic or something," Sirius remarked.

"Why? Just because I'm smarter than you?"

"No. Just because you study."

----------

_He hardly heard what Professor McGonagall was telling them about Animagi (wizards who could transform at will into animals)._

"Harry, you should learn about Animagi," James said to the book.

"Why?" Lily asked.

"… Because they're important," James lied, trying to fix his mistake.

"Yeah, maybe he'll need to know about them in the future," Sirius helped.

"Why would he need to know about Animagi?"

"Why are you so against Harry learning?" James countered. "I thought you'd be happy I want our son to listen in class."

"I am happy. I'm just surprised."

"So am I," Sirius agreed, looking like James had betrayed him for wanting Harry to learn, especially in McGonagall's class.

----------

_(Ron angry after Potions)_

"_Five points from Gryffindor because the potion was all right!"_

"It's all right, Ron," James said, "We lose all kinds of points for Gryffindor."

"Yeah, we lost fifty just yesterday," Sirius added.

"Really, that much?" Lily asked. She had known they lost a lot of points, but had never imagined it was fifty every day.

"And that was a good day," Remus commented.

----------

_(Professor Lupin's first class)_

"_Today's will be a practical lesson."_

"At least Lupin's a good teacher," James said, relieved. "Most teachers just make you write endless papers on useless information. Maybe Moony will actually teach something."

"Yeah, I wish our Defense teacher was that good," Sirius agreed.

----------

_(Lupin facing a boggart)_

"_Then they saw a silvery-white orb hanging in the air in front of Lupin…"_

"Remus, why is a silvery-white orb your worst fear?" Lily asked.

"It's a crystal ball," James lied. "Lupin's dreadfully afraid of Divination. He could barely stand it. He cried himself to sleep for weeks after the first lesson."

"Thanks a lot, Prongs, you're a _huge_ help," Remus sarcastically replied.

----------

"_Homework, kindly read the chapter on boggarts to summarize it for me…to be handed in on Monday."_

"I guess I spoke too soon about Moony being a great teacher," James admitted.

"I can't just not give them homework, James."

"Couldn't you at least not give it to Harry, Ron, and Hermione?"

"With what excuse?"

"Harry being your friend's son."

"I don't think that would work, Prongs. Sorry."

----------

_(Ron guessing what Hermione's fear is)_

"_What would it have been for you?" said Ron, sniggering. "A piece of homework that you only got nine out of ten?"_

Everyone laughed.

"He may be joking," James said, "but it's probably true."

"That's not nice, Potter," Lily scolded. "Just because she's smart doesn't mean that's all she fears."

"Yes, it does."

"So, anyway," said Remus loudly, interrupting their argument, "that was the end of the seventh chapter. I think we should take a break and get some lunch in the Great Hall. We've almost missed it."

"Yeah, I'm starving," agreed Sirius, rubbing his stomach. "I thought I'd die of hunger."

"But Padfoot, you had a _really_ big breakfast," James pointed out.

"So?"

"Nothing. Let's just go."

----------

A/N: That, of course, was only part of the third book. The rest will be in different chapters.


	4. Conversations about Sirius Black

Title: What Do You Think?

Summary in the first chapter.

Disclaimer: I have already said this, but just in case… the italicized parts that look and feel an awful lot like parts from the book, actually are from the book. I know that it's a big shock, but I think you're all ready to hear it.

James, Sirius, Remus, and Lily walked back into Room of Requirement, where they had been reading the book, arguing. Sirius had taken a handful of desserts with him, just in case he got hungry, which he had already started to eat.

"…terrible thing to do, Potter," Lily was saying. "Severus Snape does not deserve to be embarrassed in front of the entire school."

"Yes, he does"

"Why?"

"Because he's a Slytherin, they think they're superior to everyone else."

"And should you have the same done to you because you're a Gryffindor?"

"Of course not."

"Why not?"

"Because we _are _superior."

"I agree with James-" Sirius began.

"What a surprise," Remus said sarcastically.

"-Snape is one of those people who believe pure-blooded wizards are the only wizards that deserve to be respected. I'm surprised you like him, Lily. He wouldn't ever like you."

"How can you be so quick to judge, Black? Especially considering your background." Lily asked. "And by the way, I don't _like_ him. I just don't think what you do to him is fair."

"Can we get back to the book?" Remus interrupted, feeling like he had said that a million times already. "_Please_?"

"Fine, but only because you said 'please'," James replied.

----------

_(After a brief description of quidditch)_

"Best sport in the world, isn't it?" James asked.

"Well I don't know, Potter, you haven't tried any muggle sports. Maybe you'd like those just as much," Lily replied.

"Don't even joke like that."

----------

_(Fred after seeing the Hogsmeade date posted)_

"_Excellent…I need to visit Zonko's. I'm nearly out of Stink Pellets."_

"Oh no," Sirius exclaimed, "they can't have that. What are they going to do without Stink Pellets?"

"I'm sure they could find something else, but it would be a shame if their supply ran out too quickly," James agreed. "Maybe they could just sneak off one day and go to Zonko's, buy the Stink Pellets, and come back before anyone notices."

"They don't have the map, though," Remus pointed out.

"Yeah, that's true."

Little did they know…

----------

_(Harry talking to Lupin about what Harry's boggart would turn into)_

"_I-I remembered those dementors."_

"I probably would, too," James said.

"_I see," said Lupin thoughtfully. "Well, well…I'm impressed."_

"So am I," said Sirius. "Not about it being a dementor, because I don't understand that. But about Harry impressing Remus, _that_ is impressive."

"_That suggests that what you fear most of all is – fear. Very wise, Harry."_

"Go, Harry," James cheered. "My son is a genius."

_The door opened, and in came Snape. He was carrying a goblet, which was smoking faintly…_

"Don't take it," Sirius warned. "He's trying to kill you."

"_Ah, Severus," said Lupin, smiling. "Thanks very much. Could you leave it here on the desk for me?"_

"It seems I know what it is," commented Remus.

"He's still trying to kill you."

…_taking a sip and shuddering._

"Well, Moony, it was nice to know you."

"Thanks, Padfoot. I appreciate it," Remus replied, playing along.

"_I've been feeling a bit off-color."_

"Of course you have," James said, like it was obvious. "That's because you just took Snape's poisonous potion."

_Lupin drained the goblet and pulled a face._

"Oh no," said Sirius, burying his face in his hands. "It's already begun."

"_Well, Harry, I'd better get back to work. I'll see you at the feast later."_

"If you make it that long," said Sirius, ominously.

----------

_(After the Portrait was slashed)_

"_Nasty temper he's got, that Sirius Black."_

There was silence in the room for at least a minute before James tried to break the tension.

"Well, Sirius _does_ kind of have a nasty temper. Gotten us in trouble countless times because of it."

That, however, was to no avail since Sirius was staring at book with a look of complete shock on his face. The fact that Sirius had broken out of jail and was after Harry was a surprise in the beginning, but they had mostly overlooked that and tried their best to ignore it. Now would be harder, though, since in the book Sirius had successfully gotten past the Dementors, entered the heavily-secured castle, and broken into Gryffindor tower.

"Maybe I just came to say hello," Sirius suggested.

"Yeah, Padfoot," James agreed, trying to cheer up Sirius, "that's it. Maybe you heard that there was going to be a quidditch match soon and wanted to cheer on Harry."

----------

_(Talking about how Sirius broke into Hogwarts)_

"_And Filch knows all the secret passages…"_

"Not all," Sirius corrected, grinning for the first time since he supposedly entered the castle.

"Filch has nothing on you Sirius. You could get past in him in a second if you wanted to, and especially if Padfoot were the one to do it," James said, matching his grin.

----------

_(Harry listening in on Dumbledore, Snape, and Percy's conversation about Sirius entering the castle)_

_(Snape speaking): "It seems – almost impossible – that Black could have entered the school without inside help. I did express my concerns when you appointed-"_

"He better not be talking about me," Remus said in a dangerous voice.

"See, Remus? Now do you think we shouldn't prank Snape?" James asked.

Shockingly, there was no answer and Remus just continued to stare at the book as if it had just insulted him.

"_I do not believe a single person inside this castle would have helped Black enter it,"_

"At least Dumbledore's on your side," Sirius said, feeling a little strange that it would be better if Remus _didn't_ help him.

----------

_Hannah Abbott, from Hufflepuff, spent much of their next Herbology class telling anyone who'd listen that Black could turn into a flowering shrub._

" I didn't know people turn into flowering shrubs so often," Sirius commented.

"Well, Sirius, it's not every day," Remus said, calmed down enough that he could answer sarcastically, "it's a special occurrence. Only happens a few times a year. There are huge celebrations about it in Hogsmeade. I'm surprised you've never been to one."

"Must have missed it," Sirius answered seriously.

----------

_(McGonagall explaining that Sirius is after Harry)_

"_Well, in that case, Potter, you'll understand why I don't think it's a good idea for you to be practicing Quidditch in the evenings. Out on the field with only your team members, it's very exposed, Potter-"_

"What?!" James shouted. "How could she punish Harry because of Sirius?" He quickly added to Sirius, "Not that I'm saying you're after him."

"I understand, Prongs."

"How could she take the best thing in the world away from him?"

"If it will save our son, Potter," Lily began, "Isn't it worth it?"

"It won't _save _our son, Lily, because he isn't in danger. Even if Sirius was after him, the dementors would catch him."

"Then why didn't they catch him the first time?"

"It doesn't matter. Sirius isn't after him, right Sirius?"

"Right. I would never want to hurt James' son."

Lily didn't think this was conclusive evidence, but couldn't help but believe that Sirius would be nice to James' son. Maybe a bad influence, but that's something completely different. Remus had stayed silent the entire time, not bothering to change the subject, because he wasn't sure who he agreed with.

----------

"_Oliver, calm down!" said Fred, looking alarmed. "We're taking Hufflepuff very seriously. _Seriously._"_

"Why is everyone saying my name?" asked Sirius, smiling at his extremely annoying joke.

"Because you're such a great person, Sirius," Remus replied. "How could someone not?"

"Good question, Moony. Good question."

----------

_(Snape taking Lupin's DADA class)_

"_Sorry I'm late, Professor Lupin, I-"_

_But it wasn't Professor Lupin who looked up at him form the teacher's desk; it was Snape._

"Oh no. He hasn't just killed you, Remus, but he's taken your job, too," Sirius said. "I don't which is worse."

"Yeah, that's a tough one, Padfoot. I wonder."

----------

_(DADA class with Snape)_

"_Today we shall discuss-"_

_Harry watched him flick through the textbook, to the very back chapter, which he must know they hadn't covered._

"_-werewolves," said Snape._

"That's just cruel," James said, shocked. He had always known Snape to do malicious things, but hadn't thought him capable of this.

"You think he knows?" Remus asked, color draining from his face.

"He must. You'd have to tell the faculty once you were hired, right?"

"I don't think I like him knowing."

"Neither do we."

"Knowing what?" Lily finally asked, confusion getting to her. "What are you talking about?"

"Nothing, dear, don't worry about it," James replied, knowing that the word "dear" would get her to forget it.

"Don't _ever_ call me 'dear' again."

"How about when you go on a date with me?"

"Sure, because then you would _still_ never call me that again."

"That's what you think."

"_Which of you can tell me how we distinguish between the werewolf and the true wolf?" said Snape._

"We could," Sirius answered.

"Really?" Lily asked, surprised. "How do you know something that can only be learned through books?"

"That's not the only way you learn about these things," James said.

"_You will each write an essay, to be handed in to me, on the ways you recognize and kill werewolves."_

"Why does he want them to know how to kill werewolves?" Remus asked, panicking.

"Why do you think?" Sirius returned.

"_D'you know what that-" (he called Snape something that made Hermione say "_Ron!_") "-is making me do?"_

"Go Ron," James cheered. "Call him anything you want to. We don't have a problem with it."

"You should be a better role-model, Potter," Lily advised, "especially if you have a son."

"_Why couldn't Black have hidden in Snape's office, eh? He could have finished him off for us!"_

"Don't think the thought hasn't crossed my mind, Ron," Sirius said.

----------

A/N: That was the second installment of the marauders reactions to the third book. More to come soon.


	5. Flashback and Quidditch

Title: What Do You Think?

Summary in the first chapter.

_Flashback_

_It was a beautiful day outside and James Potter, Sirius Black, and Remus Lupin were sitting in couches near the fire in the Gryffindor common room, enjoying their few moments of privacy. Peter Pettigrew, the fourth member of the famous marauders, was currently in detention for walking the halls after hours. James and Sirius were there of course, but were quick enough to escape. Peter wasn't so lucky._

"…_I'm telling you, Prongs, Snape won't see it coming," Sirius was explaining. "He wouldn't be able to defend himself."_

"_I see your point, Padfoot, but I still think we could do better," James replied, thinking about what Sirius had suggested. "Although keep that idea as a backup."_

"_Why do you two insist upon causing as much trouble as possible?" Remus asked. "Your mischief has landed Peter in detention again. Can't you give it a rest for a day?"_

"_Wormtail can handle it," Sirius said, ignoring the last question. "He's a big boy. Plus he loves doing the things that get him in detention. He thinks it's worth it."_

_James suddenly turned to Sirius and said, "I've just had a brilliant idea. It's perfect. We could-"_

"_Could what?" said an angry voice from behind them. "Finish your sentence, Potter. Could what?"_

"_Lily, dear-"_

"_DON'T call me 'dear'."_

"_Ok, honey." James desperately tried to think of something that would stop Lily from interfering with his plans. "Come with me."_

"_What?"_

"_Just follow me."_

_James stood up from his chair and without another word walked through the portrait and into the hall. Lily hesitated, but wanted to yell at him for calling her 'honey', so she followed. Sirius and Remus were curious as to what James had planned and decided to go as well._

_James quickly walked the path he had walked many times before. He went through secret passages that only the marauders knew of so he could impress Lily, spoke to a couple of portraits as he passed them, and finally reached his destination._

"_Potter, don't call me 'dear', 'honey', or anything else like that – what are you doing?" Lily asked, watching James pace back and forth in front a seemingly blank wall._

"_You'll see."_

_Sirius and Remus caught up just in time to see a door appear out of nowhere in front of James. He turned to Lily and said, "Please come inside."_

"_Where did that door come from? It just appeared…that's impossible."_

"_Lily, have you not grasped the concept of magic, yet? Just come in."_

"_Why? What do you have waiting inside there?"_

"_Go in and you'll find out."_

_Lily was sure that her questions would go unanswered unless she actually walked in, so she slowly turned the knob of the door and opened it. The room inside was spacious, with only four chairs, a table, and a book lying on top. She walked closer to the table and read the title, __Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone__. James, Sirius, and Remus entered the room and each took a seat. They had all obviously been there before since they sat down and made themselves comfortable without question._

"_What is this, Potter?"_

"_This is called the Room of Requirement. All you do is wish for something in the room and it appears. Try it."_

_Lily felt stupid, but nonetheless thought that a few more lamps would be appropriate. Not even a second after the thought entered her mind, two lamps settled themselves on either side of the table._

"_See?"_

"_How does it do that?"_

"_Who cares," Sirius answered. "All we know is that we can get whatever we wish for. Don't question it."_

"_What did you wish for, Potter," Lily asked, curious of what the marauders might wish for._

"_Well, since this it's your first time here, I thought I should make it something in your honor. I figured that wishing for a book would work. What is it?" James added, pointing at the book in her hands._

"_Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone__."_

"_Never heard of it," Remus said._

"_That's strange. You haven't heard of a book?" Sirius asked._

"_It happens. Deal with it."_

"_I guess we should read it," James suggested, wanting to make sure Lily didn't remember that they was planning on doing something to Snape._

"_Yeah, we probably should," Lily agreed. "The first chapter is called 'The Boy Who Lived'…"_

----------

(Fast-forward to present)

_Quidditch matches weren't called off for trifles like thunderstorms._

"And _that_ is why Quidditch is the best sport in the world," James said proudly.

"Some muggle sports won't stop in storms either. Maybe you would like them," Lily said again.

James just decided to ignore the comment and refocus on the book.

_Nevertheless, he was starting to feel very apprehensive. Wood had pointed out Cedric Diggory to him in the corridor; Diggory was a fifth year and a lot bigger than Harry._

"Don't worry, Harry. You can take him," James said, supporting his son. "Actually, it may be an advantage for Harry. If Diggory's bigger, he could be slower."

_Seekers were usually light and speedy, but Diggory's weight would be an advantage in this weather because he was less likely to be blown off course._

"I guess I was wrong… But don't worry, Harry, it's nothing you can't handle."

_The wind was so strong that they staggered sideways as they walked out onto the field. If the crowd was cheering, they couldn't hear it over the fresh rolls of thunder._

"Tough conditions," James admitted. "But I've played through it loads of times. It's not as bad as it sounds as long as you can see where you're going. Actually, the thunder blocks out the booing from the Slytherins and you can think about the game more clearly."

_Rain was splattering over Harry's glasses._

"All right, now he's in trouble."

_Within five minutes Harry was soaked to his skin and frozen, hardly able to see his teammates, let alone the tiny Snitch._

"I'm sorry to say this, Prongs, but I think Harry might lose this one," Remus observed.

"Don't count him out too soon. He's very talented, especially on a broom. If only he could see…"

_Twice Harry nearly came very close to being unseated by a Bludger; his vision was so clouded by the rain on his glasses he hadn't seen them coming._

"That sounds dangerous. Couldn't they stop the game?" Lily asked, concerned.

"Of course not. That's a crazy thing to suggest," James replied.

"_They'll repel water!"_

"Hermione's a genius. She might just allow Harry to catch the Snitch," James said, excited. "See, Evans? She understands how important Quidditch is, why can't you?"

"I just don't get why so many people want to see other people injure themselves for the sole purpose of winning a game. That's what it is. Just a game."

James looked as if she had just stabbed him in the heart. "How could you say such a thing? How could you even think it? Quidditch is a sport. It's more than just a sport, it's a lifestyle. If you're having a really bad day and your team wins _one_ match, then your day could seem like the best in your life. Do you understand now?"

"No."

"You're hopeless."

_Wood looked as though he could have kissed her._

"So could I," James agreed.

_the silhouette of an enormous shaggy black dog, clearly imprinted against the sky, motionless in the topmost, empty row of seats._

"See, Sirius? I told you that you were there to see the Quidditch match," James said.

"I guess you were right."

"Sirius is a dog?" Lily asked.

"No, of course not. That would be silly, Lily," James said. Right before she could point out that he said the dog was Sirius he added, "So how about we get back to the book?"

_Harry looked wildly around. Cedric Diggory was pelting up the field, and a tiny speck of gold was shimmering in the rain-filled air between them –_

"Get him, Harry. Get him," James yelled, sitting on the edge of his seat.

_But something odd was happening. An eerie silence was falling across the stadium. The wind, though as strong as ever, was forgetting to roar. It was as though someone had turned off the sound,_

"That hasn't happened before," James said, frightened.

"What happened?" Remus asked.

"Maybe Harry's hallucinating. Maybe he's sick from his clothes being wet?" Sirius suggested.

_And then a horribly familiar wave of cold swept over him, inside him, just as he became aware of something moving on the field below…_

"I think I know what it is," Remus said, frowning.

"Unfortunately, so do I," James agreed.

"What is it?" Sirius asked, confused.

"Dementors."

_A shrill voice was laughing, the woman was screaming, and Harry knew no more._

"He better not be dead," Lily said, panicking.

"He's not, Lily. Don't worry," James soothed, but was a little unsure himself.

"_We didn't – _lose_?"_

"_Diggory got the Snitch,"_

"How could they lose? Harry fell unconscious and slipped of his broom from fifty feet in the air. That's completely unfair," James complained.

"_When he looked back and saw you on the ground, he tried to call it off. Wanted a rematch."_

"Well at least this Diggory guy sounds all right, but still… it's unfair."

"_Where is Wood?" said Harry, suddenly realizing he wasn't there._

"_Still in the showers," said Fred. "We think he's trying to drown himself."_

"I would, too," James said, understanding.

"You really do take this seriously, don't you?" Lily asked, surprised at how devoted James was to the sport.

"Yes."

"_And it hit – it hit – oh, Harry – it hit the Whomping Willow,"_

"Could this day get any worse?" James asked.

"_And?"_

"What do you think happened?" Sirius asked sarcastically. "The tree returned it in one piece?"

_Slowly, she reached down for a bag at her feet, turned it upside down, and tipped a dozen bits of splintered wood and twig onto the bed, the only remains of Harry's faithful, finally beaten broomstick._

"That's a sad ending to the chapter," James commented.

"Yeah, but the next chapter is called 'The Marauder's Map'…" Sirius pointed out, grinning.

"Well, then I think we should continue reading as quickly as possible," James said, matching is grin.

"What's 'the marauder's map'?" Lily asked.

"You'll see."


	6. The Marauder's Map

Title: What Do You Think?

Summary in first chapter.

_(Harry and Remus talking about Harry's broom)_

"_The tree smashed it to bits."_

"This is entirely your fault, Remus," James said. "You should get Harry a new broom, since you're the reason he lost his."

"Sorry, Prongs. Not going to happen."

"Why not?"

"Maybe because I live in a different time and I'm talking to his dead parents."

"Oh, that's why."

"Why is it Remus' fault that Harry lost his broom?" Lily asked.

"It just is, Lily. Don't worry about it," James responded, sighing because he had answered the same thing all day.

_(Remus explaining why the Dementors were at the match)_

"_All that excitement…emotions running high…it was their idea of a feast."_

"Well then they should try one of the Hogwarts feasts," Sirius suggested. "Maybe they'll like that better. I can't really understand why human emotions taste better then what the house-elves here cook."

"Maybe that's because you aren't one of the foulest creatures alive," Remus replied.

"I might have to disagree with you, Moony," James said.

"You don't think that's why he doesn't understand?"

"No, I think he _is_ one of the foulest creatures alive."

"Thanks a lot, Prongs, you're a great friend," Sirius said sarcastically.

"Yeah, I know. Aren't I?"

"_Most of them go mad within weeks."_

"_But Sirius Black escaped from them," Harry said slowly. "He got away…"_

"That's because he's already mad," James explained.

"_You made that dementor on the train back off," said Harry suddenly._

"That's because I'm amazing, Harry. Most wizards can't," Remus answered.

"_But if the dementors come to another Quidditch match, I need to be able to fight them-"_

_Lupin looked into Harry's determined face, hesitated, then said, "Well…all right. I'll try and help."_

"Great, now Harry can be able to fight the dementors," James said, excited.

"James, I can't promise that I can teach Harry how to defend against the dementors. I don't even know how to do it now," Remus explained.

"Don't worry, you'll be fine. Just pretend he's me."

"I don't want to be yelling at Harry while I'm teaching him."

"Fine, pretend he's someone else."

"Like who?"

"I don't know… maybe Hermione."

"How about I just pretend he's Harry Potter."

"That's a great idea. Why didn't you mention it earlier?"

"_Psst – Harry!"_

_He turned, halfway along the third-floor corridor, to see Fred and George peering out at him from behind a statue of a hump-backed, one-eyed witch._

Sirius and James both became much more alert, not wanting to miss anything the twins might have said or done.

_Fred pulled something from inside his cloak with a flourish and laid it on one of the desks. It was a large, square, very worn piece of parchment with nothing written on it._

James and Sirius both glanced at each other and grinned.

"You know, James. It might not be what you think, but just a piece of parchment," Remus said.

"But the name of the chapter suggests it is what I think," James replied, still grinning.

"_This, Harry, is the secret of our success," said George, patting the parchment fondly._

"I knew I liked them for a reason," Sirius said. "We helped them become who they are."

"And I'm glad of that, too," James agreed. "Just think what could have happened if the map landed in someone else's hands. Someone less worthy. I'm glad they found it."

"_We let off a Dungbomb in the corridor and it upset him_ (Filch) _for some reason-"_

"I wonder why," Lily said.

"_-and we couldn't help noticing a drawer in one of his filing cabinets market _Confiscated and Highly Dangerous_."_

"Ah, I know that drawer well," James commented.

"Very well organized, isn't it?" Sirius said.

"More than you'd think since it's in Filch's cabinet."

"_George caused a diversion by dropping another Dungbomb, I whipped the drawer open, and grabbed – _this_."_

"WHAT?! Why would Filch have had it?" James asked, frightened.

Sirius, equally scared, said, "I don't know, but that is too precious to end up in his hands."

"Why? It's just a piece of parchment, isn't it?" Lily asked.

"Didn't you just here Fred and George say it's the secret to their success? Obviously it's more than that."

"_We don't reckon Filch ever found out how to work it."_

James and Sirius both sighed with relief. Even Remus relaxed a little bit, quite aware of how bad it would be if Filch was to ever figure it out.

_He took out his wand, touched the parchment lightly, and said, "_I solemnly swear that I am up to no good_."_

"How did he figure out how to open it?" James asked.

"I don't know, but I believe him when he says he's up to no good," Sirius said.

_Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs_

_Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers are proud to present_

**The Marauder's Map**

"You made a map?" Lily asked, looking at James, Sirius, and Remus.

"Yes, we did. But it's not just any map, it's the marauders map. It's one-of-a-kind," Sirius answered.

_It was a map showing every detail of Howarts castle and grounds. But the truly remarkable thing were the tiny ink dots moving around it, each labeled with a name in minuscule writing. Astounded, Harry bent over it. A labeled dot in the top left corner showed that Professor Dumbledore was pacing his study; the caretaker's cat, Mrs. Norris, was prowling the second floor; and Peeves the Poltergeist was currently bouncing around the trophy room. And as Harry's eyes traveled up and down the familiar corridors, he noticed something else._

_This map showed a set of passages he had never entered._

"That describes it pretty well," said James, appreciatively. "Well, what do you think, Lily?"

"That's… that's… amazing."

"Really? You're not going to tell us that it invades privacy and that we shouldn't have something like that?"

"Not today."

"_Right into Hogsmeade," said Fred, tracing one of them with his finger. "There are seven in all. Now, Filch knows about these four"_

"Oh no, he only knows about two of them now," James said, worried again. "How did he find out about the other two?"

"_Don't bother with the one behind the mirror on the fourth floor. We used it last winter but it's caved in – completely blocked."_

"That was my favorite," Sirius said, saddened. "It was a very useful passage."

"_And we don't reckon anyone's ever used this one, because the Whomping Willow's planted right over the entrance."_

"Think again," Remus said in a slightly mischievous tone.

"_But this one here, this one leads right into the cellar of Honeydukes."_

"_My_ personal favorite," James commented.

"_Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs," sighed George, patting the heading of the map. "We owe them so much."_

"You're welcome. Use the map as much as you want to," James said to the book.

"As long as you use it for mischief," Sirius corrected.

"_Noble men, working tirelessly to help a new generation of law-breakers," said Fred solemnly._

"At least someone appreciates our work," James said.

"Work? You call what you do work?" Remus asked, doubting that they honestly did.

"If it's for the greater good of law-breakers, then we'll work tirelessly," Sirius answered.

_(In Honeydukes after explaining about the map to Hermione and Ron)_

"_How come Fred and George never gave it to _me_!" said Ron, outraged. "I'm their brother!"_

"Because Harry needs the map more than you," James answered. "Sorry, but it's true."

"Plus, the map should end up with Prongs' son. It should always go to the child of a marauder, even if Ron does deserve it and would use it well," Sirius added.

"You act like you actually follow rules, Padfoot," Remus remarked.

"This is strict marauder code, Moony. You can never break those rules."

"_But Harry isn't going to keep it!" said Hermione, as though the idea were ludicrous. "He's going to hand it in to Professor McGonagall, aren't you, Harry?"_

"He most certainly is not," James replied, amazed that anyone would such a thing.

"That would be crazy. Why would he give that up?" Sirius agreed.

"_Are you mad?" said Ron, goggling at Hermione._

"Obviously she is," James said.

"_Hand in something that good?"_

"Terrible idea."

_(Fudge, McGonagall, Flitwick, Hagrid, and Madam Rosmerta in the Three Broomsticks.)_

"_Do you know, I still have trouble believing it," said Madam Rosmerta thoughtfully. "Of all the people to go over to the Dark Side, Sirius Black was the last I'd have thought…"_

"Thank you, Rosmerta," said Sirius appreciatively. "Glad to hear someone can think straight."

"_I mean, I remember him when he was a boy at Hogwarts. If you'd told me then what he was going to become, I'd have said you'd had too much mead."_

"Speaking of mead…" Sirius began.

"Focus, Sirius," Remus warned.

_(Talking about Sirius and James)_

"_Never saw one without the other, did you? The number of times I had them in here – ooh, they used to make me laugh"_

"I'm really starting to like Rosmerta after this book," commented James.

"As if you didn't like her before," Sirius said.

"Now more than ever."

"_Both very bright, of course – exceptionally bright, in fact"_

"I don't think I've ever hear McGonagall talk about you like that before," Remus said.

"She loves us," Sirius answered.

"_Black was best man when James married Lily. Then they named him godfather to Harry"_

"Thanks, Prongs," Sirius said.

"No problem."

"_Indeed, he had suspected for some time that someone on our side had turned traitor and was passing a lot of information to You-Know-Who."_

"Impossible," James said immediately. "That means that Sirius, Peter, or Remus would have turned, and that would never happen."

"_I shoulda known somethin' fishy goin' on then. He loved that motorbike"_

Sirius all of a sudden had a dreamy look on his face.

"Don't you think there are more important matters than the motorbike you won't have for a few years?" Remus asked, noticing the look.

"Yes, but it's still a motorbike."

"_I bet he'd've pitched him off the bike halfway out ter sea."_

"Never," Sirius said. "Hagrid's great and all, but he's a little off on this one."

"_It was little Peter Pettigrew – another of the Potters' friends. Maddened by grief, no doubt, and knowing that Black had been the Potters' Secret-Keeper, he went after Black himself."_

"That doesn't sound _anything_ like Peter," Remus said. "He would never attack Sirius, maddened by grief or otherwise."

"I know, he's idolizes me too much," Sirius agreed.

"_Pettigrew…that fat little boy that was always tagging around after them at Hogwarts?" said Madam Rosmerta._

"That's not very nice," James said.

"_Hero-worshipped Black and Potter," said Professor McGonagall. "Never quite in their league, talent-wise."_

"_That_ sounds like Peter," Remus commented.

"_Nobody but trained Hit Wizards from the Magical Law Enforcement Squad would have stood a chance against Black once he was cornered."_

"Even _they_ wouldn't stand a chance," James said. "I've seen Sirius in a duel. He's really good."

"Thanks, Prongs. You're not so bad yourself."

"I'm quite aware, thank you."

"…_but I was shocked at how _normal_ Black seemed"_

"That wasn't Sirius," Remus said instantly. "If he seemed normal, then it couldn't be Padfoot. He was never normal and will never be normal."

"Remus, I don't think I say enough how great of a friend you are," Sirius said.

"_And he was one of the most heavily guarded in the place, you know. Dementors outside his door day and night."_

"That sounds dreadful, Sirius," said James with pity. "How did you ever break out?"

"No idea. But it doesn't surprise me, I am pretty awesome."

_Ron's and Hermione's faces appeared under the table. They were both staring at him, lost for words._

The same things seemed to be going on in the Room of Requirement. Everyone was thinking to themselves about what they found out. No one wanted to break the silence, so the room was quiet for a few moments. Finally Sirius spoke.

"So that was fun, I say we keep reading to find out what else I've done for the dark lord."

"Ok. But first, I'm getting hungry again. Let's go to the kitchens," James suggested.

"You've been to the kitchens?" Lily asked, shocked.

"You haven't?" Sirius asked back, unable to comprehend not being to the kitchens at least one. "We go twice a week, if not more."

"Lily, there's so much we need to show you. Come with us," James said before getting up and leaving the room.


	7. Kitchens and the Firebolt

Title: What Do You Think?

My beta is currently without access to the internet, so this chapter was not beta-ed. Sorry in advance for any mistakes.

Standing up and following James out of the room, Lily was thinking several different things at the same time. Immediately, she felt a sense of excitement that she hadn't felt since she received her Hogwarts letter. She had never visited the Hogwarts kitchens before and wondered what they would be like. But then her rational side started to tell her that she would be breaking the rules. Maybe the house-elves would tell the headmaster and he would get them in trouble. Maybe they would be caught doing something they shouldn't.

"Potter, I don't think we should be doing this. We could get in trouble," she said, panicking.

"Don't worry, Lily. We do this all the time. We've never gotten in trouble before," he replied, calmly. "There's nothing to worry about."

"But won't the house-elves get us in trouble?"

Sirius laughed from behind her before James had the chance to answer.

"What's so funny, Black?"

"Just wait until you meet the house-elves. Then ask us if they'll get us in trouble."

James, still leading, turned down a few corridors and ended up in front of a large portrait, which he began to start tickling. Lily found this very strange, but had always believed James was crazy so she said nothing. But to her surprise, that one piece of fruit began to laugh, as if it could actually feel James' finger. Still in shock, Lily watched James open the door to the kitchens and walk inside. She followed.

Immediately, she was engulfed by the smell of a typical Hogwarts feast. She recognized the scent of her favorite meals and all the side dishes that they come with. She could see all four of the house tables, half filled with perfectly cooked food. Although she didn't have much time to look around any longer since she was instantly surrounded by at least a dozen house-elves grinning at her.

"Would ma'am like something to eat?" the closest house-elf asked. She could hear others asking the same question to the three marauders, although they already seemed to know their names.

"Would Master Potter, Master Black, or Master Lupin like something to eat?"

"Of course we do," Sirius answered. "Just bring some snacks for us. Her, too," he added, pointing to Lily.

She noticed that the house-elves who hurried off to complete the order were not angry at Sirius' dismissive and unappreciative tone, but eager to obey. She took her seat at the table brought by the house-elves and continued to look around the kitchens.

"So, Lily, what do you think?" James asked, eyeing her nervously.

"It's magnificent," she replied. "But aren't we bothering the house-elves?"

"Not at all," Sirius responded. "They love to bring us food. I'm not sure why, but we just accept it."

The house-elves returned with a large tray of food so quickly that Lily wondered if they already had it waiting for the next time the marauders decided to come. Sirius and James started to eat immediately, not bothering to thank the house-elves. They didn't seem to care, though.

After a while of sitting and talking about what the marauders knew about the castle and how they found the secret exits on the marauder's map, Lily unconsciously started to gain some respect for the boys and marveled at how they found out so much on their own. She was asking questions that she genuinely wanted to know the answers to and, without realizing, stopped calling James by his last name, but by his first.

"So all you do at night is explore the castle and the grounds?" Lily asked, leaning in slightly.

"Pretty much," James answered. "Maybe one of these days you'll join us?"

To his shock, Lily answered, "Maybe."

Out of the corner of her eye, Lily noticed that Remus looked at James, alarmed, but James just mouthed 'Don't worry' to him and returned his attention to Lily.

"How about we go back to the Room of Requirement and continue the book," Sirius suggested.

"That sounds like a great idea, Padfoot," James agreed. "Let's go back now."

James, Remus, and Lily got up to leave, but Sirius said, "Hold on a second. Can we get some food before we leave?"

The house-elves were shoving food into his hands before he had a chance to blink.

"Thank you…. house-elves," Sirius said.

----------

_(Harry opening Christmas presents)_

_It was a Firebolt, identical to the dream broom Harry had gone to see every day in Diagon Alley._

"Wow, what a present," James said, with a dreamy look on his face.

"Yeah, I've never gotten one that good," Sirius agreed. "I wonder who sent it to him, though."

"Maybe it was you trying to prove that you're innocent."

"Well, I definitely have the gold for it and since I'm on the run I don't need it."

"No, I can't see Sirius thinking about anyone other than himself. He probably wouldn't waste the money," Remus commented.

"You have such a high opinion of me, Moony. I'm touched."

_Its handle glittered as he picked it up. He could feel it vibrating and let go; it hung in midair, unsupported, at exactly the right height for him to mount it. His eyes moved from the golden registration number at the top of the handle, right down to the perfectly smooth, streamlined birch twigs that made up the tail._

"It sounds amazing," James declared, envy clear in his voice.

"You can say that again," Sirius said.

"It sounds amazing."

"You do know I didn't actually want you to say it again, right?"

"Yeah, of course."

"Okay, just checking."

"_Nothing! Blimey, who'd spend that much on you?"_

"That not a very nice thing to say to someone," Lily scolded.

"I would spend that much on him," Sirius stated.

"So would I," James agreed. Both he and Sirius looked at Remus, expecting him to say the same. "How about you, Remus?"

"Probably not."

"Now who doesn't think of anyone but themselves?" Sirius asked.

"I'd get him a gift, but if I had that kind of money I'd spend some of it on myself, especially in my condition," Remus said, trying to defend himself. "Besides, it's the thought that counts."

"You're so naïve, Moony. People don't care if you put time into it, as long as it costs a lot."

"That's not true. Last Christmas I got Prongs a nice photo album and spent a lot of energy putting together some pictures to fill it with. He liked that better than something that costs more, right James?"

James gave Remus a sympathetic look, but failed to answer the question.

"_I know who it could've been – Lupin!"_

"No, Ron," Sirius said, "It can't have been Moony, he's too selfish to buy someone a broom."

"I'm not selfish."

"Sure you aren't."

"_I don't think anyone should ride that broom just yet!" said Hermione shrilly._

"What is she crazy?" James asked. "That's worse than McGonagall saying that Harry couldn't play Quidditch, although that wasn't so great either."

"_What d'you think Harry's going to do with it – sweep the floor?" said Ron._

"He better not," said James. "If he's going to have a Firebolt, then he'll use it as he should… to beat the Slytherins in Quidditch. If he isn't going to use it for that, then he should give it to me."

"How is he going to do that?" Remus asked.

"Time travel if he must."

_(Sitting at the dinner table for thirteen in the Great Hall. Trelawney talking about Lupin to McGonagall.)_

"_He positively fled when I offered to crystal gaze for him -"_

"Is that because Divination is your worst fear, like James said when you were in front of the boggart?" Lily asked Remus, concerned.

Lupin glared at James, who purposely looked at everything in the room except for Remus.

"_Severus, you've made the potion for him again?"_

"_Yes, Headmaster," said Snape._

"Why is that Remus falls ill every time that Snape gives him the potion?" James asked.

"I think you know why," Sirius replied. "It's not a coincidence."

"_Well, I'm afraid I will have to take this, Potter."_

"Why?" James asked, confused. "Doesn't she want to win the Cup?"

"Apparently not," Sirius said.

"_Because I thought – and Professor McGonagall agrees with me – that that broom was probably sent to Harry by Sirius Black!"_

James stayed quiet throughout the end of the chapter, unsure if he was appalled that someone could take away the Firebolt, or glad that someone was making sure it was safe for his son. Sirius however, was convinced that he had sent it and that he wouldn't have done anything bad to it.

"Why does she have to take it?" he complained, "I didn't do anything to it. It's just a Christmas present. Won't he miss their next match if it will take a few weeks to examine?"

"He could always use a school broom," James answered. "Although he would be much better on a Firebolt. Why can't they just let him use the broom?" The thought of Harry using a school broom was enough to convince James that he was more disgusted that someone took away the Firebolt than he was happy.

-----------

_(Wood talking to Harry about the Firebolt being confiscated)_

_Waving aside the information that a famous murderer was after his Seeker,_

"I'm so glad that Wood is concerned with my son's safety," James said sarcastically.

"At least he agrees that the broom shouldn't have been taken," Sirius reasoned.

"Good point, Padfoot. I hadn't thought of that."

"I see you've forgotten all about him not caring if Harry is safe," Remus said.

"Not forgotten, merely overlooked."

"_Just because I told her I didn't care if it threw you off, as long as you caught the Snitch first."_

"Wood does have his priorities wrong," James said, agreeing with McGonagall for the first time in his life.

"And that's coming from James Potter," Remus said.

_She was holding out his Firebolt, and it looked as magnificent as ever._

"Finally," James said, sighing with relief that it was safe and Harry could have it back.

"And it's in good shape, too. That doesn't normally happen when it's stripped down," Remus commented.

"_Pity you can't attach an arm to yours, Malfoy," said Harry. "Then it could catch the Snitch for you."_

Remus had to stop reading the book for a moment while James copied down the last sentence on a piece of parchment that magically appeared.

"Pity you….attach an arm… catch the Snitch for you," James muttered while writing.

"Stealing insults from your son, are you?" Remus asked. "Can't think of any more on your own?"

"I can think of more, but I can recognize a good insult when I hear one."

_Harry pulled out of the dive very sharply; she hurtled downward;_

"Good job, Harry," James praised. "Wood's right, this isn't the time to be a gentleman."

_He stretched out his hand still grasping his wand and just managed to close his fingers over the small, struggling Snitch._

"Yes," James and Sirius cheered. "Gryffindor's still in the running for the cup," James said.

"Maybe Slytherin won't get it this year," Sirius said, optimistically.

"Hopefully they won't."

"_Come on, Harry!" said George, fighting his way over. "Party! Gryffindor common room, now!"_

"I would love to be in one of their parties," Sirius commented.

"Yeah, they must throw some great parties. Especially if they know where the kitchens are, and with the map they must," James agreed.

_Fred and George Weasley disappeared for a couple of hours and returned with armfuls of bottles of butterbeer, pumpkin fizz, and several bags full of Honeydukes sweets._

"I knew it'd be a great party," James said, smiling at the thought of a post-match party.

"_With a little help from Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs," Fred muttered in Harry's ear._

"You're welcome," Sirius said.

_(After Sirius slashes Ron's curtains)_

"_Black! Sirius Black! With a knife!"_

"Oh no, not this again," Sirius muttered, burying his face in his hands.

_Neville Longbottom, trembling from head to fluffy-slippered toes, raised his hand slowly into the air._

"I feel bad for Neville," James said.

"Especially since I wouldn't have done any harm," Sirius agreed.

"I think we should take a short break," Remus suggested. "Dinner is starting soon. I know we just ate, but I feel like I'm stuck with you three for the whole day and I want to get out for a bit."

"What? You don't want to spend every moment you're awake with us?" Sirius teased.

"Not in your dreams."

"How would you know?"

"Sirius, what did you dream about last night?"

"Oh, I think you know."


	8. Hogsmeade and the Quidditch Final

Title: What Do You Think?

Beta-ed: No

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews. Keep them coming so I know I should continue the story.

----------

"_You haven't ever been inside Zonko's yet!"_

"Well that's a shame," James said, frowning. "That should have been the first place they went."

"At least Harry's got a friend to tell him these things," Sirius pointed out. "Unlike Hermione," he added. Sirius had agreed with Ron for cutting off ties with Hermione, since he always took the rat's side after his adventures with Wormtail.

"_Okay," he said. "But I'm taking the Invisibility Cloak this time."_

"Smart idea," James encouraged. "Never leave your dormitory without it."

----------

_(Near the Shrieking Shack. Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, Ron, and invisible Harry)_

_SPLAT._

_Malfoy's head jerked forward as the mud hit him; his silver-blond hair was suddenly dripping with muck._

"Go, Harry," James cheered, grinning. "I can't believe he did that."

"Let's hope he does it again," Sirius said.

_SPLATTER._

_Crabbe and Goyle caught some this time._

"Thank you, Harry," James said while laughing. "I haven't laughed so hard since Snape… told that funny joke," he finished, spotting Lily.

"_How extraordinarily like your father you are, Potter,"_

"Say thank you when someone compliments you, Harry," James said.

"Preaching morals now, James?" Remus asked.

"Well it was a nice compliment, he could at least say thanks."

_(Snape trying to open the Marauder's Map)_

"_Reveal your secret!"_

"Like that's going to work," Sirius said.

"_Show yourself!"_

"He doesn't think that we'd safeguard against those kinds of feeble attempts to open the map?" James asked.

"Guess not," Sirius replied.

"_Professor Severus Snape, master of this school, commands you to yield the information you conceal!"_

"All right, lying to the map isn't going to help," Remus said to the book, as if Snape could hear him.

"_Mr. Moony presents his compliments to Professor Snape, and begs him to keep his abnormally large nose out of other people's business."_

"Good man, Remus," Sirius said, smiling.

"_Mr. Prongs agrees with Mr. Moony and would like to add that Professor Snape is an ugly git."_

"See, the map doesn't lie to you, does it?" James asked the book.

"_Mr. Padfoot would like to register his astonishment that an idiot like that ever become a professor."_

"Yes, I would," Sirius agreed with himself.

"_Mr. Wormtail bids Professor Snape a good day, and advises him to wash his hair, the slimeball."_

"Way to go, Wormtail," James said. "Wish he was here to see this."

Lily's mouth had immediately dropped when she had first heard the comments, but as she continued to listen, her mouth slowly formed a slight smile.

"_Lupin!" Snape called into the fire. "I want a word!"_

"The perfect person to call," James said, his smile growing even bigger.

----------

_(Malfoy talking about Hagrid crying over Buckbeak's sentence)_

"_Have you ever seen anything quite as pathetic?" said Malfoy._

"Yeah, you," James replied.

"Ooh, good one," Remus said sarcastically.

"See, Moony? I told you I could still think of some of my own insults."

_Harry and Ron both made furious moves toward Malfoy, but Hermione got there first – SMACK!_

"Wow," James breathed. "Hermione's finally learning how to deal with the Slytherins."

"Took her long enough, too," Sirius agreed.

"You don't think she shouldn't have slapped him?" Remus asked.

"Actually, I think she should have done more than that."

_Hermione pulled out her wand._

"Like that."

_Harry and Ron hurried to a desk at the back and opened their bags. Ron looked behind him._

"_Where's Hermione gone?"_

"Probably to beat up Malfoy," Sirius commented.

"I wish," James said.

"She wishes," Sirius corrected.

----------

_(Divination)_

_Glowing on every little table was a crystal ball full of pearly white mist._

Lily started to nervously look at Remus, as if she was expecting him to react abnormally. He noticed this and began to mutter under his breath. James caught a few words, and was disappointed to hear about plans of his own death. Obviously Remus was still a _little_ mad about the whole lie he had told Lily.

"_I don't need help," Ron whispered. "It's obvious what this means. There's going to be loads of fog tonight."_

Sirius and James immediately began to laugh, forgetting to breathe in the process. Even Remus managed a small chuckle, used to this type of humor after his days as a marauder. Lily had tried very hard in Divination, so this wasn't the first thought that had run through her head during crystal ball gazing, but she wasn't about to admit this to the marauders.

"_Fine!" said Hermione suddenly, getting up and cramming _Unfogging the Future_ back into her bag. "Fine!" she repeated, swinging the bag over her shoulder and almost knocking Ron off his chair. "I give up! I'm leaving!"_

"Good. Can you take Harry and Ron with you, too? Because I'm kinda tired of hearing about his stupid subject," Sirius yawned. "All of us would really appreciate it."

_And to the whole class's amazement, Hermione strode over to the trapdoor, kicked it open, and climbed down the ladder out of sight._

"Thanks anyway."

"_You saw her leaving, didn't you? '_Around Easter, one of our number will leave us forever!_' You said it _ages_ ago, Professor!"_

_Professor Trelawney gave her a dewy smile._

"_Yes, my dear, I did indeed know that Miss Granger would be leaving us."_

"Fraud," James accused. "She's just really lucky."

"…_The Inner Eye can be a burden, you know…"_

"Well it would be if you had it," Sirius said.

_Had Professor Trelawney really seen the Grim again? Would he? The last thing he needed was another near-fatal accident, with the Quidditch final drawing ever nearer._

"Harry, why are you listening to a fraud like Trelawney?" James asked. "You know she's lying and just likes to pretend you're going to die. There's nothing to worry about."

----------

_Slytherin was leading the tournament by exactly two hundred points._

"So that means that Harry has to catch the Snitch _only_ when they are up by _more_ than fifty points," Sirius explained in his best imitation of James talking about Quidditch. James glared, but didn't say anything because the logic was correct.

"_So you must catch it _only _if we're _more than_ fifty points up," Wood told Harry constantly._

"Wow, Sirius, you care as much about Quidditch as Wood does," Remus remarked. James smirked as Sirius' grin immediately fell off of his face.

----------

_Quietly as he could, he got out of his four-poster and went to pour himself some water from the silver jug beneath the window._

"Ah, the silver jug beneath the window," James sighed as he remembered something. "They took that away from us in our third year."

"What could you possibly do to have that taken away," Lily asked.

"You don't want to know."

----------

"_Good luck, Harry!" called Cho. Harry felt himself blushing._

James opened his mouth to say something, but was scolded before he said anything.

"Don't you _dare_ say anything, Potter," Lily threatened. Her reverting back to calling him by his last name was enough to make him hold his tongue, but that didn't stop him from sharing a grin with Sirius.

----------

_(Quidditch match: Gryffindor vs. Slytherin)_

"_-THAT WAS DELIBERATE!"_

"What was deliberate?" James asked, sitting on the edge of his seat. "Come on, Lee, what was deliberate?"

"_THIRTY-ZERO!"_

"Wow, that Slytherin keeper is pretty bad," Sirius said.

"_TAKE THAT, YOU DIRTY, CHEATING-"_

"_Jordan, if you can't commentate in an unbiased-!"_

"_I'm telling it like it is, Professor!"_

"It's true, he is," James agreed. "That's the kind of commentator you want. One that will call the Slytherins the cheats that they are."

"No, that's the kind of commentator that _you_ want," Lily corrected.

"Fair point."

_He turned the Firebolt upward at the last second, and Bole and Derrick collided with a sickening crunch._

"Way to go, Harry," James cheered.

_Malfoy had thrown himself forward, grabbed hold of the Firebolt's tail, and was pulling it back._

"WHAT!" James roared. "How could he do that?! That cheating-"

_The tiny golden ball was held tight in his fist, beating it wings hopelessly against his fingers._

"YES!" James yelled, jumping into the air. "HE DID IT!"

_Thrust into the light, he saw Hagrid, plastered with crimson rosettes –"Yeh beat 'em, Harry, yeh beat 'em!"_

"Yes he did," James sighed, falling back into the chair.

_As a sobbing Wood passed Harry the Cup, as he lifted it into the air, Harry felt that he could have produced the world's best Patronus._

"Glad to hear he's so happy," James said.

Lily secretly confessed to herself that she kind of liked this James, the one that wasn't so arrogant and actually cared about someone else. Suddenly a much undesired thought forced its way into Lily's head. She tried to shake it off, but it kept returning.

"_Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if she did end up marrying James."_


	9. Exam Week

Title: What Do You Think?

Beta-ed: No.

A/N: Wow. I was shocked by the amount of reviews I got after last chapter. I know I told you, too, but still. Thanks to anyone who left a review, short or detailed, for multiple chapters or just one. Although, I did see a few people put me on their story alert/ favorite story list, etc, yet not review. I love to see reviews, so just write a short message, don't be afraid. I would really appreciate it and try to incorporate anything you tell me you like into the story more. For example: Some people said they like the James/ Lily shipping. I had no intention of ending the last chapter like I did, but decided to do it for the reviewers. Also, some people wanted me to explain the whole "how they got the book" question… so I did. Any other suggestions or questions that I haven't answered (how will this affect their fight against Voldemort?), will be answered in future chapters. If you have a suggestion, leave it in a review. If you want more of something, do the same. Thanks for listening to my rambling. Enjoy the chapter.

_It was all Harry could do to stop himself imitating Hermione and hitting Malfoy in the face on these occasions._

"Don't stop yourself, Harry. Just do it," Sirius encouraged. "He deserves it."

"But he could get detention," Lily argued.

"Doesn't matter," Sirius countered.

Remus shook his head to tell Lily it wasn't worth it to answer back. The fact that Remus was normally the one arguing with Sirius, but was now telling her not to, was enough to silence her.

----------

_Exam week began and an unnatural hush fell over the castle._

James seemed disappointed with this bit of news. "But that's the best time to start pranking random people."

"Why?" Lily asked.

"Because the atmosphere is so tense that nobody would see it coming. Even from me." Lily looked at him as if she highly doubted that last statement was true. "I don't understand why, but it happens every year."

_The third years emerged from Transfiguration at lunchtime on Monday, limp and ashen-faced, comparing results and bemoaning the difficulty of the tasks they had been set, which had included turning a teapot into a tortoise._

"What? Are these kids stupid?" James asked, surprised that Transfiguration wasn't everyone's best subject like it was his.

"That happens to be a very difficult spell for a third year," Lily said.

"That is such an easy spell that I mastered it the first time we were told what to do."

Again Lily looked like she didn't believe him, but a small nod from Remus made her reconsider. Maybe James was more talented than she gave him credit for. It had taken her several days to master that particular spell. "_So he isn't just gifted at Quidditch,"_ she thought.

"_Were the tortoises _supposed_ to breathe steam?"_

"Yes," Sirius answered, making fun of the boy's inability to perform such a simple spell. "It's a special type of tortoise. You get extra credit for it."

"Really?" James asked, looking like he would have liked to know that during the exams.

Alright, so he wasn't _that_ smart, Lily realized.

"Yes, James," Sirius answered sarcastically. "McGonagall told us that for _weeks_ before the exams."

"Oh, that explains it," James responded. "I never listen in her class."

_Hermione had been right; Professor Flitwick did indeed test them on Cheering Charms. Harry slightly overdid his out of nerves and Ron, who was partnering him, ended up in fits of hysterical laughter and had to be led to a quiet room for an hour before he was ready to perform the charm himself._

"Don't worry, Harry," James reassured. "I did the same thing," he said, smiling at the memory.

Sirius glared at James, clearly remembering the occasion as well.

_Try as he might, he couldn't get his Confusing Concoction to thicken,_

"I guess it was too confusing," Remus remarked.

Everyone smiled at the little joke, mostly because it was Remus who said it. He had hardly made any jokes all day except to make fun of Sirius.

_and Snape, standing watch with an air of vindictive pleasure, scribbled something that looked suspiciously like a zero onto his notes before moving away._

The smiles instantly dropped off of their faces, only to be replaced by looks of anger. Even Lily was a little mad, although she did know that he deserved the grade because of his poor Potions skills.

_Professor Lupin had compiled the most unusual exam any of them had ever taken; a sort of obstacle course outside in the sun, where they had to wade a deep paddling pool containing a grindylow, cross a series of potholes full of Red Caps, squish their way across a patch of marsh while ignoring misleading directions from a hinkypunk, then climb into an old trunk and battle with a new boggart._

"Excellent, Moony," James said when the description was finished. He looked excited at the mention of an obstacle course. "Think you can recreate it now?"

"No," Remus answered simply.

"_Excellent, Harry," Lupin muttered as Harry climbed out of the trunk, grinning. "Full marks."_

"I guess we found Harry's best subject," Remus commented, proud that it was he who taught it.

_Ron did very well until he reached the hinkypunk, which successfully confused him into sinking waist-high into the quagmire._

"I would do the same, Ron," Sirius admitted. "Those damn hinkypunks are too smart."

"No, just smarter than you," Remus said.

"_P-P-Professor McGonagall!" Hermione gasped, pointing into the trunk. "Sh-she said I'd failed everything!"_

"See, Lily, I told you it would be something like that," James said, referring to when they laughed at Ron's "got a nine-out-of-ten" joke.

"It's still not funny to make fun of someone's worst fears."

"Why are you sticking up for her so much?" James asked. After a moment, a look of comprehension dawned on his face and his mouth dropped open. "Is that your worst fear, too?"

Sirius and Remus immediately started to look at Lily as if they were just meeting her. Lily hastily denied the accusation. The marauders seemed to relax a little. _"I guess I can lie as well as them,"_ she thought to herself.

----------

_(Ron talking about his Divination exam)_

"_Rubbish," said Ron. "Couldn't see a thing, so I made some stuff up."_

"Good job," encouraged Sirius. "That's how you truly take a Divination exam."

Remus opened his mouth to tell Sirius the real way to take an exam, but remembered he was supposed to be afraid of crystal balls, so he closed his mouth, angry once again. Although he had to admit it was getting pretty tiring being mad, and James was just protecting his secret anyway.

"_Don't think she was convinced, though…"_

"Too bad," James said.

_Relieved, Harry got up, picked up his bag turned to go, but then a loud, harsh voice spoke behind him._

"_IT WILL HAPPEN TONIGHT."_

"Oh? That's great to hear," James said sarcastically, obviously not aware of how the situation would turn out.

_Harry wheeled around. Professor Trelawney had gone rigid in her armchair; her eyes were unfocused and her mouth sagging._

"See? Even she fell asleep because this exam is so boring," Sirius said.

"I don't think she's asleep, Sirius," Remus responded.

"Then what is she doing?"

Remus just answered by continuing the book.

_Harry climbed down the ladder and the spiral staircase, wondering… had he just heard Professor Trelawney make a real prediction? Or had that been her idea of an impressive end to the test?_

"Probably the latter, Harry," James replied. "She's always been a fraud. She couldn't ever make a real prediction, even without realizing it."

_(Hermione talking about the discarded Invisibility Cloak behind the statue)_

"_If he sees _you_… How do you open the witch's hump again?"_

"_You-you tap it and say, '_Dissendium_,'" said Harry. "But-"_

_Hermione didn't wait for the rest of his sentence; she strode across the room, pushed open the Fat Lady's portrait and vanished from sight._

"Is Hermione going to get the cloak?" asked James.

"Can't be, that would be breaking a lot of rules," Sirius replied, shaking his head.

_Hermione returned a quarter of an hour later with the silvery cloak folded carefully under her robes._

"She did," James said, shocked.

"That's amazing," Sirius said with awe in his voice.

"_Hermione, I don't know what's gotten into you lately!" said Ron, astounded. "First you hit Malfoy,_

"As if that's not enough," James interrupted.

_then you walk out on Professor Trelawney-"_

"And she goes to get the cloak," finished Sirius.

"I don't know what's gotten into her either, but I like it," James said.

----------

"_Ron! I - I don't believe it – it's Scabbers!"_

"Wow, it's the rat just keeps on living," Remus said.

"Quite a talented little creature isn't it?" Sirius added.

----------

A/N: Before you start to wonder… yes, I deliberately skipped over the Buckbeak parts. I don't really care how the marauders would react to that. I'm only concerned with how they react to Harry, Hermione, Ron, the twins, and their own counterparts in the books. And since I'm the author, what I'm concerned with is the only thing that matters. I might have to address the Buckbeak thing at the end, but for now I won't. You can fill in your own reactions if you want.

Also, I might not be updating as much anymore. School's started again and I've taken harder classes than I ever have before. I'm going to try to not let that affect my writing, but it probably will, so expect it.

Keep reviewing if you have before, and if you haven't, then start.


	10. Into the Shrieking Shack

Title: What Do You Think?

_Scabbers was plainly terrified. He was writhing with all his might, trying to break free of Ron's grasp._

"What's wrong with the rat?" Sirius asked. "Why would he want to get away? Ron wants to protect him and Crookshanks is nowhere around."

"Maybe it's a paranoid little rat," suggested Remus, making fun of the way Sirius treats rats like people.

"Well that's clear," Sirius replied, clearly missing the sarcasm.

"_What's the _matter _with him?"_

"See? Ron and I agree."

_But Harry had just seen – slinking toward them, his body low to the ground, wide yellow eyes glinting eerily in the darkness - Crookshanks._

"Oh. Never mind," Sirius said.

_Something was bounding toward them, quiet as a shadow – an enormous, pale-eyed, jet-black dog._

"Now who do we know that fits that description?" Remus asked.

"Ooh. Ooh. I know. I know," Sirius replied enthusiastically, raising his hand. "Please Professor Moony, pick on me."

Remus was going to call out "Mr. Black" when James quickly nodded his head towards Lily and the two children fell silent, looking like they had been caught breaking the rules.

"Yes, headmaster Prongs," Sirius said, hanging his head.

"Sorry, sir," Remus apologized, too.

"As long as you don't do it again. Now, who would like some muggle candy I happen to like for no particular reason?" James asked, playing along.

Sirius smiled at the joke as Remus picked the book back up and continued to read.

_Harry reached for his wand, but too late – the dog had made an enormous leap and the front paws hit him on the chest; he keeled over backward in a whirl of hair; he felt its hot breath, saw inch- long teeth –_

"Well, that's not a very nice dog," Lily commented.

"It's probably the parenting," Remus said, continuing his "animals are like wizards" joke. "Kind of like what Aunt Marge said about Harry in the beginning of the book."

"Well, if it had my parents, it would act like that," Sirius said darkly. In reality, he was only joking with the other marauders about thinking that the dog was actually him. He figured that he would be good enough to escape detection from the Ministry, and this was doing it all wrong. He could always just go to the cave near Hogsmeade that he had found last year if he needed a place to stay as a last resort.

_Then, out of nowhere, something hit Harry so hard across the face he was knocked off his feet again. He heard Hermione shriek with pain and fall too._

"Wow, they aren't having a very good night," James remarked.

"Yeah, but don't worry, it won't happen again for another year," Remus reassured.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, in the first and second books, Harry had one crazy night and did something amazing and then went back to school, back to the Dursleys, another year at Hogswarts, and then did it again the following end of the year. After tonight, which I'm sure will be quite eventful, he can relax for another year."

"That explanation took _way_ too long. I almost fell asleep there."

"You asked."

"I asked what you meant, not to explain everything that happened in Harry's entire life up until this point."

"That's not what I did."

"Felt like it."

_The wandlight showed him the trunk of a thick tree; they had chased Scabbers into the shadow of the Whomping Willow and its branches were creaking as though in a high wind, whipping backward and forward to stop them going nearer._

"Why would Scabbers bring them there?" James asked. "Isn't it too dangerous for a rat?"

"Not for one rat we know," Sirius said.

"And there's also a familiar dog there," Remus added. "Interesting, isn't it?"

"It is."

"If only there was a stag."

"If only…" James repeated.

"What are you people talking about?" Lily asked, finally losing her patience with all this confusing animal talk coming from the three marauders.

Remus tried to shake his head again like he had before, hoping it would work again. It didn't.

Lily wanted to know what they were talking about. Why? Because she was confused and felt left out, like the marauders thought? No. Because she wanted to know more of the marauders' secrets, the last few had made her want to find out as much about them as possible.

"I'm confused," she said, breaking the short silence that had succeeded Remus' unsuccessful head motion.

"We noticed. But we aren't going to help you, so can we finish the book?" James asked, losing his patience as well. Then he tried something that he hoped would at least buy him some time until the end of the book, "Maybe the book will tell you and then you can find out anyway."

"Fine."

_Crookshanks darted forward. He slithered between the battering branches like a snake and placed his front paws upon a knot on the trunk._

All three marauders' mouths dropped in unison.

"How did he know?" James asked.

"Don't know, but that's one smart cat," Sirius said.

_Abruptly, as though the tree had been turned to marble, it stopped moving. Not a leaf twitched or shook._

"What?! That… thing… can be stopped?" Lily asked, thinking of how that little piece of information would have helped some students in the past.

"Yes, it can, but it's hard to reach the knot anyway, so it doesn't matter," James responded.

"How do you know so much about the tree?"

"I'm just that good, I suppose."

"_He's friends with that dog," said Harry grimly. "I've seen them together. Come on – and keep your wand out -"_

Both James and Remus looked at Sirius, further believing he might have been the mysterious animal since the cat found the entrance from the dog.

_But no, that's impossible,_ James thought. _He's supposed to be in hiding._

"_It goes off the edge of the map, but it looked like it was heading for Hogsmeade…"_

"It is," James answered.

"How do you know?" Lily asked again.

"I've been down it."

"But I thought you said it was hard to get to the knot in the tree."

"Hard, but not impossible. We marauders have a tendency to do hard, but possible things," James said, images of learning to transform into a stag flashing in front of his eyes.

"_Harry," she whispered, "I think we're in the Shrieking Shack."_

"What? Why would they be in the Shrieking Shack? There's no way to get into it. The windows are all boarded up…" she trailed off, realizing that these windows were boarded as well. Her eyes widened to extreme sizes. This kind of freaked out James, who hadn't reacted at all to the fact that they were in the Shrieking Shack, knowing that already.

"_Where's the dog?"_

"_Not a dog," Ron moaned. His teeth were gritted with pain. "Harry, it's a trap -"_

"What?" Lily asked for the millionth time during the chapter.

"_What -"_

"My point exactly."

"_He's the dog … he's an Animagus …."_

_It was Sirius Black._

It was Lily's turn to stare at book stunned, mouth hanging. Sirius had turned very serious, having his secret being told to the first person (Lily) since he had learned to transform. James and Remus eyed both of them nervously, wondering how they would react.

"You're … you're … an … an animagus?" Lily asked Sirius, stumbling on the words that sounded as if they couldn't possibly be true.

Sirius slowly nodded his head.

"Is that why you three are always talking about a familiar dog and that the dog at the Quidditch game was Sirius there to see Harry?" Lily asked, finally putting together the pieces the marauders had tried so hard to keep from her.

"Yes," James breathed, shocked that he was actually telling her the one secret he swore to never tell anyone.

"Wow."

"_I thought you'd come and help your friend," he said hoarsely._

"Why does it sound like I'm trying to hurt Harry?" Sirius asked, starting to get a little afraid. No one could answer his question.

"_Your father would have done the same for me."_

"It's true, I would," James agreed immediately.

"Thanks, Prongs."

"_There'll be only one murder here tonight," said Black, and is grin widened._

"Okay, I'm starting to freak myself out," Sirius said. "I'm not actually talking about killing Harry, am I?" Again, no answer.

"_No," he hissed, "I've waited too long -"_

_The fingers tightened, Harry choked, his glasses askew._

"Now I'm worried," Sirius said, his face losing its color. "It's one thing when I'm talking about something like this, but another when I actually start using violence."

"Maybe there's a misunderstanding," James supported weakly, finally finding his voice again.

"Yeah, maybe…" Sirius repeated, holding onto that one hope.

"Expelliarmus_!" Lupin shouted._

_Harry's wand flew once more out of his hand; so did the two Hermione was holding._

Sirius let out the breath he was holding in. He was scared that Harry might actually kill him. But of course his friend Lupin would come to the rescue. He had never really appreciated Lupin as much as he did now.

"_Where is he, Sirius?"_

"Who?" James asked Remus at once.

"I don't know yet, listen to the story."

"_Unless" - Lupin's eyes suddenly widened, as though he was seeing something beyond Black, something none of the rest could see, "- unless _he_ was the one … unless you switched… without telling me?"_

"What? Switched what?" Lily asked, panicking. The whole situation was very tense and too much for her to handle in one night.

_Lupin was lowering his wand, gazing fixedly at Black. The Professor walked to Black's side, seized his hand, pulled him to his feet so that Crookshanks fell to the floor, and embraced Black like a brother._

"Yes," Sirius sighed, relieved. He was wrong, he hadn't appreciated Lupin as much as he does _now_.

" – _he's a werewolf!"_

----------

A/N: Well that seems like the best place to leave this chapter. Didn't want to leave you on a cliffhanger (smirk).

The end of the book is hard to find places to fit in humorous remarks. I tried my hardest, but sorry for it being a pretty serious chapter.

So anyway, thanks for the reviews. They made me take some time out of my busy schedule to update once more. Can't promise the next one will be up soon. We will just have to see what happens, won't we?

Go ahead and review, you know you want to.


	11. Explanations

Title: What Do You Think?

"_Harry don't trust him, he's been helping Black get into the castle, he wants you dead too – _he's a werewolf_!"_

Dead silence followed that last outburst from Hermione. The ironic thing was that Remus was reading the book and could have ignored that part if he had given it any thought. Too late now, Lily had heard.

"You're a what?" Lily asked. She was tired, her ears must be deceiving her.

"A werewolf," Remus replied quietly, barely above a whisper. He was surprised at how calm Lily was reacting.

"WHAT?!" There it was. The explosion. The cry of fury and shock, mixed with a hint of… was that fear?

"A werewolf," he repeated. Then to try and lighten things up a little bit, "You know… Grr." It didn't work.

"But… but… how?" she stammered.

"Same way anyone becomes a werewolf."

"I think we should continue reading now." That was definitely fear in her voice.

'_Am I wrong or is she a little farther away than before,'_ Remus thought. Nevertheless, he picked the book back up and started to read.

"_Not at all up to your usual standard, Hermione," he said. "Only one out of three, I'm afraid. I have not been helping Sirius get into the castle and I certainly don't want Harry dead…"_

"Well that's good," James said, trying to find something positive in the situation.

"Better than good, I'd say," Sirius agreed, catching on.

"_Get away from me, werewolf!"_

"That's not nice, Ron," James said, rather forcibly. He had always been biased when it came to anti-werewolf sentiment.

"Werewolves are the same as any other wizard, just with a little problem once a month," Sirius defended.

Lily had to admit that the loyalty to their best friend was admirable. She had never seen the marauders act so selflessly before tonight. Since they had not reacted with surprise when they heard Remus was werewolf as she did, obviously they had already known. Their support of Lupin by not telling his secret was definitely impressive. _If only I had met this James Potter years before…We could have had so much more time. Well, I'll just have to make up for it._

"_Since I did Professor Snape's essay…."_

"I knew he did that on purpose," Sirius yelled in frustration.

"What else would you expect from someone like him?" James asked.

"Nothing."

Lily couldn't believe that the man who had once been a close friend could do something as terrible as that. _Next time James and Sirius plan a prank on him, I might just look the other way. Or better yet… watch._

"_Or did you realize that the boggart changed into the moon when it saw me?"_

"That's what it changed into?" Lily asked, mentally slapping herself for not figuring it out. "And Divination…?"

"Is just another subject," Remus finished. "Not my favorite, but not my worst fear either."

"I was wondering why someone would be so afraid of a crystal ball."

"So was I," he replied, looking at James.

"It was the only thing I could think of so quickly," James said.

"_I thought the map must be malfunctioning. How could he be with you?"_

"The map doesn't malfunction," James said quickly.

"I know that," Remus responded.

"_An Animagus," said Black, "by the name of Peter Pettigrew."_

"What?" Remus asked. "I thought he was supposed to be dead."

"He was," Sirius confirmed.

"Why is he calling Peter a rat?" Lily asked cautiously. Being exposed to most of the marauders secrets by now, she could pretty much figure it out. But just in case, she had to check.

"He's an animagus."

"Peter's an animagus? I didn't think he could do something that complicated."

"Neither did we. Especially after the first few years, but trust me, he can," James said.

"_Peter Pettigrew's _dead_!" said Harry. "_He_ killed him twelve years ago!" He pointed at Black, whose face twitched convulsively._

"Maybe we'll find out the answers now," Remus said. "Like how Peter is dead yet alive."

"_I meant to," he growled, his teeth bared,_

"Why?" Sirius asked. "Why would I want to do something like that?"

"_but Peter got the better of me…_

"That doesn't sound likely," James said.

"I know, this is strange," Sirius agreed.

"_WAIT! You can't do it just like that – they need to understand – we've got to explain -"_

"Please do," Lily said, happy she might get a straightforward explanation for the first time all night.

"_We can explain afterwards!"_

"No do it now."

"_Pettigrew's name wasn't on the list -" (of registered Animagi)_

"Of course it wouldn't be, he isn't exactly a legal Animagi," James said as if it were obvious.

"_The Shrieking Shack was never haunted… The screams and howls the villagers used to hear were made by me."_

"Well that explains a few things," Lily noted out loud.

"_The potion that Professor Snape has been making for me is a very recent discovery. It makes me safe, you see. As long as I take it in the week preceding the full moon, I keep my mind when I transform… I am able to curl up in my office, a harmless wolf, and wait for the moon to wane again._

"That's possible?" Remus muttered to himself. He seemed to be imagining how much better that would be.

"Pretty useful potion," Sirius commented.

"It would be nice to have that now," James said.

"Yeah, it would," Remus agreed.

"_I told you, months ago, that the Whomping Willow was planted the year I came to Hogwarts. The truth is that it was planted _because_ I came to Hogwarts. This house" – Lupin looked miserably around the room, - "the tunnel that leads to it – they were built for my use._

"That's how we know so much about the Whomping Willow," James told Lily.

"Oh," she replied. She wanted to take in as much information as she could before she reacted.

"_For the first time ever, I had friends, three great friends. Sirius Black… Peter Pettigrew… and of, of course, your father, Harry – James Potter."_

James and Sirius both grinned at Remus in a supportive way. He smiled appreciatively back. Lily was gaining respect for all four marauders by the moment.

"_And they didn't desert me at all. Instead, they did something for me that would make my transformations not only bearable, but the best times of my life. They became Animagi."_

"You did that to help Remus?" Lily asked.

James nodded. She still didn't know what he could turn into, but marveled at their selflessness all the same.

"_Soon we were leaving the Shrieking Shack and roaming the school grounds and the village by night."_

"So that's how you know so much about Hogwarts?" Lily asked.

"Yes, we had a little time to spare, so we made the best of it," Sirius replied.

_(After a quick description of the prank Sirius pulled on Snape. The famous prank)_

"How could you do that, Sirius?" Lily said, looking at Sirius as if he were mad.

He hung his head in shame. "I don't know."

"_That's right," sneered a cold voice from the wall behind Lupin._

_Severus Snape was pulling off the Invisibility Cloak, his wand pointing directly at Lupin._

"This isn't good."

---------

A/N: I know it's kind of short, but it's the end of a chapter in the book and I wanted to update quickly because I ended on a cliffhanger. But it seems I just made a new one. Oh well. Things happen.

Don't forget to review.


	12. Pettigrew Revealed

Title: What Do You Think?

_Hermione screamed._

"I would, too," Lily commented.

_Black leapt to his feet._

"I would, too," Sirius said. "Oh wait…"

"_I found this at the base of the Whomping Willow," said Snape, throwing the cloak aside, careful to keep this wand pointing directly Lupin's chest. "Very useful, Potter, I thank you…"_

"He used the cloak," James cried.

"It seems so," Sirius replied soberly.

"_Lying on your desk was a certain map."_

"And now he knows about the map," James said, resigned to the fact that his worst enemy was now learning his precious secrets.

_BANG!_

"What happened?" Lily asked, panicking.

_Thin snakelike cords burst from the end of Snape's wand and twisted themselves around Lupin's mouth, wrists, and ankles; he overbalanced and fell to the floor, unable to move._

James jumped up in frustration about began pacing with worry. "He can't attack Lupin. He wasn't even armed," he yelled.

Sirius didn't even take this perfect opportunity to insult Snape. He was too concerned about Remus.

_Black stopped dead. It would have been impossible to say which face showed more hatred._

"I think I'd be able to tell," Sirius said fiercely.

"_The joke's on you again, Severus," Black snarled. "As long as this boy brings his rat up to the castle" – he jerked his head at Ron – "I'll come quietly…"_

"That'd be a first," Lily said.

"_YOU'RE PATHETIC!" Harry yelled. "JUST BECAUSE THEY MADE A FOOL OF YOU AT SCHOOL YOU WON'T EVEN LISTEN -"_

"Go, Harry," James cheered.

_Snape was lifted off his feet and slammed into the wall then slid down it to the floor, a trickle of blood oozing from under his hair. He had been knocked out._

"All that from one disarming spell?" James asked.

_Both Ron and Hermione had tried to disarm Snape at exactly the same moment._

"Oh, that makes more sense."

"He's got some pretty loyal friends there," Remus commented.

"_We attacked a teacher… We attacked a teacher…" Hermione whimpered, staring at the lifeless Snape with frightened eyes. "Oh, we're going to be in so much trouble -"_

"I hardly think that Snape can be considered a teacher. Even if he does stand in front a classroom," James said.

"And it was worth it, anyway," Sirius told the book.

" – _there are millions of rats – how's he supposed to know which one he's after if he was locked up in Azkaban?"_

"Ooh, tough one."

_It was the photograph of Ron and his family that had appeared in the _Daily Prophet_ the previous summer, and there, on Ron's shoulder, was Scabbers._

"Oh, that explains a lot," Sirius said.

_Harry's brain seemed to be sagging under the weight of what he was hearing. It was absurd… and yet…_

"And yet…" Sirius echoed, a little hope in his voice for the first time in a while.

"_All this time we've thought Sirius betrayed your parents, and Peter tracked him down – but it was the other way around, don't you see? _Peter _betrayed your mother and father – Sirius tracked _Peter_ down -"_

Sirius' hope was growing stronger every time Lupin answered Harry's arguments. And at the same time, he hated his supposed friend, that stupid little rat that depended on him and James for everything, more and more.

"_I persuaded Lily and James to change to Peter at the last moment, persuaded them to use him as Secret-Keeper instead of me…"_

"Why?" James asked.

"I don't know, but I wish I hadn't," Sirius replied.

_A moment later, a man was standing where Scabbers had been, cringing and wringing his hands._

"Yes," Sirius yelled with relief. He was sure that he would never betray James and Lily like the book had said, but hearing the truth finally come out was very refreshing.

James and Remus did not join in with Sirius' excitement. They were too busy thinking about how Peter could have betrayed them after everything they had done for him. Before he had gotten his friends, he was nothing. Nobody would ever look twice at him, except to bully him around. After James and Sirius befriended him, he quickly became popular. And this is how he repays them? There was no doubt in their minds that he had done it. The story that Lupin had told made complete sense and the proof was overwhelming.

"_I'll never understand why I didn't see you were the spy from the start. You always like big friends who'd look after you, didn't you? It used to be us… me and Remus…and James…"_

"That's true," Remus said slowly, trying to comprehend what was happening.

"_You don't believe this… wouldn't Sirius have told you they'd changed the plan?"_

"_Not if he thought I was the spy, Peter," said Lupin._

"Why would you think I was the spy," Remus asked a little hurt.

"I'm not sure, I don't think that yet," Sirius replied. "But you obviously aren't, so now I know."

"_Harry," whispered Pettigrew, shuffling toward him, hands outstretched. "Harry, James wouldn't have wanted me killed…James would have understood, Harry… he would have shown me mercy…"_

Clearly hating what he was saying, James said through his teeth, "It's true. I probably would show the traitor mercy. I wouldn't want him killed… although I might not shed any tears if he was."

"_NO!" Harry yelled. He ran forward, placing himself in front Pettigrew, facing the wands. "You can't kill him," he said breathlessly. "You can't."_

"Why is Harry stopping us?" Sirius asked. "You'd think he would want this as much as anyone else."

"Maybe he has more compassion than you," Lily coolly suggested. She was a little uneasy about the "killing one of your old friends" situation that had developed.

"_You – thank you – it's more than I deserve –_

"Much more," James said dangerously.

"_I don't reckon my dad would've wanted them to become killers – just for you."_

"I wouldn't, Harry," James agreed. "It's not worth it. Just send him to the dementors."

Lily looked horrified. "How could you wish that on someone?"

"Peter is the reason that you die. Wouldn't you want some justice, too?"

She failed to answer.

_Crookshanks leapt lightly off the bed and led the way out of the room, his bottlebrush tail held jauntily high._

"Well, that's the end of the chapter," Remus announced.

"And what a chapter that was, too," Sirius commented. "Really explained a lot."

"The next one is called 'The Dementor's Kiss'."

"I don't like the sound of that," James said. "Maybe they're giving it to Peter."

"It'd serve him right for betraying his friends," Sirius said.

Lily was now starting to see Sirius in a whole new light. She might not like him in the same way she likes James, but the extent of his loyalty in the last chapter was just astounding. The marauders always portrayed themselves as arrogant and self-centered. That was the way they always acted and after a while, she had gotten used to seeing them like that. She had just naturally thought that was the way they were. Constantly breaking rules and caring for only themselves. The last few chapters, however, had completely broken that image. Now James was a selfless friend that fought to keep together their friendship, Sirius was so loyal he would die for one of his friends, and Remus was the reason (and a very good one at that) that they were breaking rules. Now their trouble-making actually made them look better.

_Why hadn't they shown this side of themselves earlier?_

----------

A/N: I am fully aware that it is a pretty short chapter again, but you'll just have to deal with it. I have updated three times in two days during a time I thought I wouldn't update at all. At least this chapter doesn't end on a cliffhanger.

Leave a review… or else.


	13. Werewolves and TimeTurners

Title: What Do You Think?

_Harry went right after Black, who was still making Snape drift along ahead of them; he kept bumping his lolling head on the low ceiling._

"Oh no," James said sarcastically, grinning. "What a shame."

"_I'll understand, of course, if you want to stay with your aunt and uncle," said Black. "But… well… think about it. Once my name's cleared… if you wanted a… a different home…"_

"Are you asking Harry what I think you're asking him?" Remus said.

"Well that depends. Are you asking me what I think you're asking me?" Sirius replied.

"Nevermind."

"Wow, Sirius, that would be amazing if you took Harry in," James said. "Then he wouldn't have to deal with those terrible people. No offense, Lily."

"Trust me, none taken," she responded. The mention of her "relatives" brought quite a scary look to her face.

_I wouldn't want to be the Dursleys right now,_ James thought, noticing her look.

_Snape's head was scraping the ceiling but Black didn't seem to care._

"It's not just that I _seem_ not to care, but I _actually_ don't," Sirius confirmed.

"_Yeah I mean it!" said Harry._

"Great," James said. "Now Harry can live with Sirius and actually have a good childhood. This will be perfect."

"Yeah, maybe I can teach him some marauder secrets now that he has the map," Sirius agreed.

"I feel bad for the kid," Remus said seriously, despite having a slight smile on his face.

"_Oh my -" Hermione gasped. "He didn't take his potion tonight! He's not safe!"_

"Oh my," Lily echoed. "And everything was going so good for the first time all book."

"_Run," Black whispered. "Run. Now."_

"Yes, run away," James agreed. "Good advice, Sirius."

"Thanks."

"_Too late. Pettigrew had transformed."_

"Oh no, that traitor is getting away again," James said in frustration.

_Black was bleeding; there were gashes across his muzzle and back_

Lily gasped. James looked at Sirius with a sympathetic look on his face, having been in that position many times before. Remus had his face in his hands, blaming himself for everything that went wrong in the last few minutes.

_They pelted toward it, and Harry, running flat out, felt the cold without realizing what it must mean –_

"Not again," James muttered.

_And then Harry saw them. Dementors, at least a hundred of them, gliding in a black mass around the lake toward them. He spun around, the familiar, icy cold penetrating his insides, fog starting to obscure his vision; more were appearing out of the darkness on every side; they were encircling them…_

"Can this night get any worse?" Lily asked.

"I wouldn't doubt it," Sirius replied.

_Something was driving the Dementors back… It was circling around him and Black and Hermione… They were leaving… The air was warm again…_

"Okay…" Remus began, trying to comprehend the quick change of events. "That was unexpected. Pleasant, but unexpected."

_(Watching the Patronus that saved him return to its creator)_

_Someone who looked strangely familiar… but it couldn't be…_

"What? Who?" Lily asked, hysterical.

"Lily, calm down," James said. "It's okay, they're safe."

"It's not okay, dementors just attacked my son. I'm supposed to just accept it?"

James didn't answer her. Why? Because he wanted to live longer than the next minute.

_Chapter title: HERMIONE'S SECRET_

"Finally, it's all explained," Sirius said. He liked this whole "no more mysteries" part of the book. He was never that good at mysteries.

"…_by thunder, it was lucky you were there, Snape…"_

"Oh really?" Remus asked. "Yeah, because he really did a lot of good."

"_Order of Merlin, Second Class, I'd say. First Class, if I can wangle it!"_

"That better not happen," James said. "If it does, I'll… I'll… I'll -"

"You'll what?" Remus asked.

"I'll be very mad."

"That'll show them."

_(Both lines were taken from Snape in the same exact passage.)_

_They seemed to think there was a possibility he was innocent._

_They obviously thought they were going to catch Black single-handed._

"That's funny. Why would you want to catch someone who's innocent?" James asked.

"Because Snape's lying," Sirius answered.

"_Personally, I try and treat him like any other student."_

"I told you he was lying."

"_The boy has undoubtedly been foolish…"_

This remark seemed to upset James, since he said, "I'm not liking Fudge too much anymore. He better sleep with one eye open."

"Why, is something wrong with the other one?" Sirius asked.

_She was carrying the largest block of chocolate he had ever seen in his life._

Sirius' eyebrows automatically raised.

"Down boy," Remus said, treating him like the dog he was.

"_As for you two… you'll be staying here until I'm satisfied you're – Potter, what do you think you're doing?"_

_Harry was sitting up, putting his glasses back on, and picking up his wand._

"Good job," James encouraged. "Disobey the rules."

"Do you really think this is the best time?" Lily said.

"It's always a good time."

_But Madame Pomfrey suddenly stuffed a large chunk of chocolate into Harry's mouth; he choked, and she seized the opportunity to force him back onto the bed._

"That's not very nice," Lily said.

"I've never known her too be so bossy before," James commented.

"Then you've obviously never spent a night in the hospital wing after transforming into a werewolf," Remus said.

"No… no I haven't."

"_But you believe us."_

"_Yes, I do," said Dumbledore quietly._

"Good," Sirius sighed. "At least Dumbledore knows and can do something about it."

"_If all goes well, you will be able to save more than one innocent life tonight."_

"More than one?" Remus asked, confused. "Who else besides Sirius?"

"No idea," James said.

_Harry didn't have a clue what was going on._

"Neither do we," Sirius agreed.

_He saw a tiny, sparkling hourglass hanging from it._

"Oh, of course," Lily said. "How did I not figure that out?"

"Figure what out?" James asked.

"It's a Time-Turner."

"A what?"

"You'll see."

_Hermione seized Harry's arm and dragged him across the hall to the door of a broom closet; she opened it, pushed him inside among the buckets and mops, then slammed the door behind them._

James couldn't help but grin. It seemed neither could Sirius. "Wonder what they're doing in there."

"_We've gone back in time," Hermione whispered, lifting the chain off Harry's neck in the darkness. "Three hours back…"_

"How did they do that?" James breathed, shocked.

"Wow, I didn't know that was possible," Sirius said.

"What, have you not grasped the concept of magic, yet?" Lily asked, mimicking James from when he showed her the Room of Requirement.

"I have, but… that's amazing. Even we haven't done that."

"_It's called a Time-Turner," Hermione whispered._

"Oh, that's a Time-Turner," James said.

"Yes, it's very useful, but extremely dangerous," Lily replied.

"_I've been using it all year to get to all my lessons."_

"Well, that explains it," Sirius said. "That must be why the chapter is called 'Hermione's Secret'."

"Figured that out all on your own, did you," Remus asked.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I did."

_Harry frowned; he felt as though he were screwing up his whole brain in concentration._

"So do I," Sirius agreed. "And I'm not even there."

"_We've got to fly Buckbeak up to the window and rescue Sirius! Sirius can escape on Buckbeak – they can escape together!"_

"That sounds pretty hard," James said, skeptically.

"And dangerous," Lily added, worry clear in her voice.

_From what Harry could see of Hermione's face, she looked terrified._

"I can relate."

"_Doesn't sound like anyone's there… Come on, let's go…"_

----------

A/N: I tried to add some more humor in this chapter. I'm not sure if it worked, but I tried nonetheless.

Oh and by the way... review.


	14. Escape and The End

Title: What Do You Think?

"_We need to keep out of sight of Hagrid's front door, or we'll see us! We must be nearly at Hagrid's by now!"_

"That has got to be the most confusing thing I have ever heard," James commented.

"_This is the weirdest thing we've ever done," Harry said fervently._

"You can say that again," James said. As Sirius opened his mouth, James quickly added, "Don't even think about it, Padfoot."

"Wouldn't dream of it, Prongs," Sirius answered, smirking.

_This was starting to seem impossible._

"Starting?" Lily asked. She had thought it impossible the whole time.

"_Hermione," said Harry suddenly, "what if we – we just run in there and grab Pettigrew -"_

"That's a brilliant idea," James said. "You should do it."

"_Professor McGonagall told me what awful things have happened when wizards have meddled with time… Loads of them ended up killing their past or future selves by mistake!"_

"Okay, so it's not a _great_ idea, but still a good one."

_It was, without a doubt, the strangest sensation of his life, standing behind the tree, and watching himself in the pumpkin patch._

"Oh really, Harry?" Remus asked sarcastically. "I do that everyday. What's taken you so long?"

"_Buckbeak, move!" Harry hissed._

"Yeah, Buckbeak, come one, move. You're going to get Harry in trouble," James said.

"What about Buckbeak?" Lily asked.

"Oh yeah," James said as if he didn't really want to be saying this, "And you might be beheaded if you don't. And that would be bad."

From the beginning, James hadn't really cared that much about Buckbeak. He was angry that Malfoy was using the situation, but didn't care about hippogriffs, so he wasn't too interested in if Harry could save him or not.

_Harry's fists clenched as they watched Snape skid to a halt next to the tree, looking around. He grabbed the cloak and held it up._

"_Get your filthy hands off it," Harry snarled under his breath._

"My thoughts exactly," James agreed.

"_I think it was my dad."_

The room was filled with shocked silence for a moment before James said, "Thanks, Harry, but I've never even done that spell before, so it couldn't be me."

"How about the fact that you're dead?" Remus asked.

"Minor details."

"_Harry, your dad's – well – _dead_," she said quietly._

"Thanks for pointing that out, Hermione," Sirius said. "We almost forgot."

… _but Harry, be careful – there's a werewolf out there_

"Not just any werewolf," Sirius corrected. "A mean, scary werewolf."

Remus glared.

_And then it hit him – he understood. He hadn't seen his father –_

"Well that was pretty obvious," James said. "I'm right here."

_he had seen himself –_

"What?"

"_EXPECTO PATRONUM!" he yelled._

"But he's not supposed to interfere," Lily said, alarmed. "Hermione said that people die when they see themselves."

"Don't worry, Lily," James comforted. "The Harry being attacked didn't see the Harry casting the spell, he thinks it's me remember?"

"Oh yeah…"

_And out of the end of his wand burst, not a shapeless cloud of mist, but a blinding, dazzling, silver animal._

"Wow," Remus said. "In the book, I said that it's hard to make something like that. And he's done it at such a young age."

"Takes after his father," James said proudly, thinking of how he became an animagus so young.

_It was a stag._

James' face immediately lit up, producing the truest smile since the beginning of the book. This wasn't one of his cocky, arrogant grins that he so often uses, but a smile filled with pure emotion. Lily couldn't help but smile with him. She enjoyed seeing him like this.

"_Prongs," he whispered._

"That's right," James breathed, still smiling.

"You can turn into a stag?" Lily asked.

James nodded.

"Can… can I see?"

James looked at her and slowly nodded again. He transformed and she gasped, having never been that close to a stag before. It was beautiful. Its fur was smooth and gentle. _Now that's something I could get used to._

"_You are – truly your father's son, Harry…"_

"Thanks, Sirius."

"No problem, James."

_They were gone._

"I can't believe they did it," Remus remarked. "They saved both Buckbeak and Sirius."

"I can't believe I'm not going to get the Dementor's Kiss," Sirius said.

"Why, were you looking forward to it?" James asked.

"Well, you know, the word around Hogwarts is that they are supposed to be pretty good-looking."

Everyone's spirits were much higher now that Harry and Hermione had done what they wanted and Sirius was safe.

_(Fudge talking about _Daily Prophet

"… _and once young Harry's back in his right mind, I expect he'll want to tell the _Prophet_ exactly how you saved him…"_

"Keep dreaming, Fudge," James said.

"I'm sure he will," Sirius responded.

"_Three minutes, Harry!"_

"Hurry up!" Lily panicked.

_Harry and Hermione slipped back inside the dormitory._

"YES!" everyone cheered together.

"They did it," James said.

"_THIS – HAS – SOMETHING – TO – DO – WITH – POTTER!"_

"Of course, blame Harry when something goes wrong," James automatically defended his son. "What makes you think it was him?"

"Prongs, you do know it _was _him, right?" Sirius asked.

James realized what he said and hastily covered, "Yes, of course I do."

"Okay, just checking."

"_Unless you are suggesting that Harry and Hermione are able to be in two places at once,_

"Which they are," James interrupted.

_I'm afraid I don't see any point in troubling them further."_

"Nor do we," Sirius agreed. "So just leave."

"_All it needs now is for the story of that hippogriff's escape to get out, and I'll be a laughingstock!"_

"It'd serve you right," Remus said, angry about how the minister dealt with Sirius and Buckbeak the past year.

"_Er – Snape told all the Slytherins this mornin'… Thought everyone'd know by now… Professor Lupin's a werewolf, see."_

"WHAT?!" James screamed. "How could he do that? I never thought even _he_ would do something like that."

Sirius began muttering to himself. "That stupid, little -"

"_He's _packing_?" said Harry, alarmed. "Why?"_

"_Leavin', isn' he?"_

"Why?" Sirius asked. "Why would you leave?"

"Because now everyone knows that I'm a werewolf."

"So? That doesn't change anything."

"It does to them."

"_I think the loss of the Order of Merlin hit him hard."_

"Yes!" James said. "That would have been an injustice if Snape got one that he didn't deserve."

"Not like he _does_ deserve one," Sirius added.

_(After Lupin gives Harry back his Invisibility Cloak and the Marauder's Map)_

"Great," James said. "Now Harry has his two best possessions back. I was getting worried he would lose them forever."

"_I have no hesitation in saying that James would have been highly disappointed if his son had never found any of the secret passages out of the castle."_

"And so I would have."

"_Professor Dumbledore – yesterday, when I was having my Divination exam, Professor Trelawney went very – very strange."_

"Oh no. The prediction," James said. "I can't believe she was actually right. Now she's going to look like she actually knows what she's doing."

_Harry wouldn't have thought it possible that Snape's dislike for him could increase, but it certainly had. A muscle twitched unpleasantly at the corner of Snape's thin mouth every time he looked at Harry._

"Ah, I know that muscle well," James reminisced.

"So do I," Sirius said. "It's quite annoying."

"Isn't it?"

"_But you passed your exam with three hundred and twenty percent!" said Ron._

"That's not even possible," Sirius said, taken aback.

"Think again," Lily said.

"You've gotten that much?" James asked.

"I have indeed."

"Impressive."

By now she had realized that it was some achievement to impressive James Potter and started unconsciously smiling.

"_It's the Quidditch World Cup this summer!"_

"Great!" James said. "Harry should go. It would be amazing."

"Quidditch again? Can't you let one sentence about Quidditch go without commenting?" Lily asked.

"No."

_(During Sirius' letter)_

_It was I who sent you the Firebolt._

"I knew it!" Sirius said.

_I Sirius Black, Harry Potter's godfather, hereby give him permission to visit Hogsmeade on weekends._

"YES!" James and Sirius cheered. "Now he can truly enjoy Hogsmeade without having to sneak around."

"_He was my mum and dad's best friend. He's a convicted murderer, but he's broken out of wizard prison and he's on the run. He likes to keep in touch with me, though… keep up with my news… check if I'm happy…"_

"Brilliant, Harry," James said. "Brilliant."

_And, grinning broadly at the look of horror on Uncle Vernon's face, Harry set off toward the station exit, Hedwig rattling along in front of him, for what looked like a much better summer than the last._

"I'm glad he's so happy," James said.

Lily was again reminded of that thought that had randomly run through her mind several chapters back. She suddenly had a strong desire to grab James and kiss him right on the lips. She tried to fight the bizarre reaction, but it was no use. Her body seemed to be controlling itself. She got up, walked over to him, and kissed him right then and there.

It was if sparks were flying between their lips, there was so much passion in that one kiss. James seemed shocked at first, but soon relaxed and kissed her back with as much enthusiasm.

"Get a room."

----------

A/N: I thought it'd never end, but it finally has.

Oh well, I guess that's the end… Oh wait, did you want me to write a sequel? Hmmmm, I don't know. It's a lot of work to write these types of stories. Although I did enjoy it. Maybe if I knew that there would be A LOT of people reading it, then I'd write it, but unless I'm reassured…

Review to tell me what you think about the story or if you want me to continue it. And then check to see if I do.


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